Legislature Home
Nassau County Home
Legislature Home Nassau County Home |
|
|
January 29, 2001 Legislators support O'Shea in nixing Parsonage tax
Unanimous confirmations on commissioner, director appointments Members of the Democratic majority of the Nassau County Legislature were joined today by their Republican counterparts in approving petitions from Board of Assessor Chairman Charles O'Shea to exempt residences owned by religious corporations throughout the county from ad valorem levies and special assessments. In December, Board of Assessor Chairman O'Shea said he was imposing the taxes pursuant to New York State Law and at the direction of the New York State Office of Real Property Services. A review of how other municipalities in the state handled the taxes indicated that not all complied. Presiding Officer Judy Jacobs (D-Woodbury) sent a letter to State Assemblyman Thomas DiNapoli asking the state address the inconsistency through legislative action and indicated to O'Shea that she as well as a majority of the legislature supported the exemption. O'Shea then requested the legislature approve petitions to exempt the properties for the taxes and levies. That measure was approved unanimously this week. In addition, a unanimous legislature named Eric Naughton to the position of Director of the independent Office of Legislative Budget Review and confirmed several appointments to county departments during a meeting of the legislature. All of the appointments received bi-partisan support from the 19-member legislature. Mr. Naughton's appointment was confirmed following a morning press conference in which Legislature Lisanne Altmann (D-Great Neck) was joined by Mr. Naughton, Presiding Officer Judy Jacobs (D-Woodbury), Minority Leader Peter Schmitt (R-Massapequa), and Legislator John Ciotti (R-North Valley Stream). Legislator Altmann also took the opportunity to announce that the county legislature's Budget Review Committee would be holding month meetings to gather information from county officials, including the County Comptroller, the Office of Management and Budgets and the County Treasurer. During the full legislative meeting, the following appointments were unanimously confirmed: Ralph Caruso as Commissioner of Senior Citizens Affairs; John Carway as Director of Probation; Kathleen Willet Forman as Director of Purchasing; Joseph Pecora as Commissioner of Public Works; Renaire Frierson as Commissioner of Human Rights; Roger Bogsted as Consumer Affairs Commissioner; and Vincent Roccaro as Executive Director of the Nassau County Youth Board. |