Mineola, NY-Over 65 homeowners attended a recent full legislative hearing on the County's reassessment process, bringing several issues to the attention of the legislators and those officials overseeing the project. Nassau County is currently revaluing all 416,000 properties for the first time in 64 years, after a court order was issued over two years ago.

"The goal of this hearing was to allow homeowners a forum to discuss any problems encountered and the solutions reached in the reassessment process for Nassau County," said Legislator Kevan Abrahams (D-Hempstead). "It is only by ensuring the accuracy and integrity of these new values that we can stop the onslaught of tax grievances which have strapped the county with over $1 billion in debt."

Cole, Layer and Trumble is the Ohio-based company developing the new values, with Chairman of the Board of Assessors Chairman Charles O'Shea and his staff overseeing the process.

Some of the discrepancies brought to the attention of the legislators at the hearing include the overpricing of vacant lots, whose assessments nearly tripled and the under pricing of some waterfront properties.

"We have promised to fix the problem with vacant lots in residential neighborhoods to allow them to be taxed as residential property," Abrahams said. "The Majority Democrats have written to our state representatives urging them to change the law.

In addition, officials on the Board of Assessors have stated that some waterfront properties have been under assessed by $75,000 to $1 million.

Those testifying at the hearing included Charles O'Shea, Chairman of the County's Board of Assessors, Bruce Nagel, president of Cole, Layer & Trumble and James Culver, the county's reassessment consultant.