Richard Fromewick Authors, "Why Do My Nassau Property Taxes Go Up, Up, Up?"

Why were the Nassau School Tax bills higher than ever?

There are three reasons:

1. School budgets continue to increase, higher than the 2% NYS cap;
2. There are precious few properties being built, therefore, virtually no new assessments are being added to the tax roll; and
3. If there are assessment reductions in the district and no new assessments added, then it’s simple math that tax rates have to increase.

For example: If the total assessments in a district decreased from $1,000,000 to $900,000 because some properties received assessment reductions, the tax rate has to increase by 11% just to get the same money. And, on top of that the budget has to increase.

In fact, in the town of Hempstead School District 27 the commercial taxes increased over 13%. The residential tax rate increases averaged 5%. The (DAF) Disputed Assessment Fund which affects only commercial properties was on this October’s school tax bill and unexpectedly decreased the taxes payable. Be prepared, there will be an increase for the DAF on the general tax bill.

The next protest period in Nassau and New York City is in January and the Suffolk protests are in May.