Bobby Jindal Wins

[Unregistered99989]

I posted this on the national thread, but it belongs here for the Nassau Republicans to think about...

36 yr old Bobby Jindal won the governor's seat in LA! Remember Katrina? Remember the Dems pinning the horrific response to the Republicans?? Guess what? He won with 54% of the vote against 7 other candidates...

Maybe Joe MOndello should take notice - get some new young energized Republican faces in the party. It is sad that you have driven all the young people out of the party so you and your ilk can continue to 'control' people...despite losing election after election you do nothing to change.

This year, with Spitzer's license plan, and property taxes rising despite a housing decline, REpublicans in Nassau should do very well. Will they? Doubt it...same old retreds over and over.

I am glad I left Nassau and Long Island. I still love the area and wish those well. But if you don't make a change, it will all be for naught.

[Unregistered222]

Louisana is MUCH more conservative and Republican than Nassau County, especially post Katrina Louisiana. School taxes are the main reason the property taxes have gone up, some Town taxes (Oyster Bay and Hempstead) have gone up, Nassau County taxes have not.

[Unregistered9898129]

Nassau County taxes haven't gone up? Where do you live. They automatically re-assess the value at 6%...you are paying a 6% increase in taxes each year without the legislature having to vote for an increase....that is hilarious.

Sure LA is more Republican. The point is, after all the bad press aimed squarely at republicans, He was able to garned 53% of the vote in a seven way race, not even close to having a run-off election. He is young, energetic, and a new face.

The Nassau Repubs should learn something from it. They need to cultivate thr young rising stars instead of driving them away and burying them. That was the point.

But hey, if you are happy with the same old party leadership that lost just about every major race in the County and just 'accept losing' as it is inevitable...so be it. I have a feeling when you are done running the party into the ground you'll just leave for Florida.

[thats wrong]

Nassau County taxes haven't gone up? Where do you live. They automatically re-assess the value at 6%...you are paying a 6% increase in taxes each year without the legislature having to vote for an increase....that is hilarious.

Sure LA is more Republican. The point is, after all the bad press aimed squarely at republicans, He was able to garned 53% of the vote in a seven way race, not even close to having a run-off election. He is young, energetic, and a new face.

The Nassau Repubs should learn something from it. They need to cultivate thr young rising stars instead of driving them away and burying them. That was the point.

But hey, if you are happy with the same old party leadership that lost just about every major race in the County and just 'accept losing' as it is inevitable...so be it. I have a feeling when you are done running the party into the ground you'll just leave for Florida.

First of all the assessment rate does not go up 6% every year, it could go up 6% every year, thats the max, but it doesn't mean that will be the amount it will go up. Up until 2006 (which is reflected in the 08 taxes) the median prices in Nassau actually went up by more than that.

Also while assessment has increased, the actual tax rate has decreased. Heres an example in 2006 the level of assessment was 0.5%, the taxable rate in NassauCounty was $82.496 of $100 of assessed value. The level of assessment is now .25%, so to equate it at the current level you would see a tax rate of $164.992. In 2007 that tax rate was $143.334 of assessed value. The assessed value went up, but the tax rate (for the county taxes) went down.

The property taxes the county took in was exactly the same for the last 5 years. If your home increases in value by more than the county average, you will see your taxes rise, if your homes value increases at the same rate as the county average your taxes remain exactly the same, if your taxes increase at a lower rate than the county average your taxes will decline.

Keep in mind the taxes are reflected by the values of 2 years prior.

A home worth $400,000 in 2004, would have paid $1,649.92 in County taxes (without exemptions) in 2006. a home worth that same amount in 2005, would have paid $1,433.34 in county taxes in 2007. For that homeowner who had a home worth $400,000 in 04 that paid the $1,649.92 in county taxes in 06 as a result, would pay $1,649.95 in county taxes in 07 if thr home was worth $460,450 in 2005

[Unregistered9899919191]

Thanks for the democratic talking points., they are very well presented.

However, if you want the average person in Nassau County to believe thr COUNTY taxes have not gone up every year since the 18% increase Suozzi and the Legislature adopted, good luck. I see my parents assessment. Each year for the last 3 years it has gone up the full 6% - actually it was 5.99%, just under the capped 6%. This has happened while in the last 2 years housing prices have declined.

In reference to the County collecting the same amout of tax etc - could some of that be from the tax appeals the county has to pay out each year because of the terrible assessment system.

The system is killing the middle class. It is that simple.

But the point of the thread was about the poor leadership of the minority party and bringing in some new faces. There is a great opportunity to make a change, but don't worry, Joe and his crew are already in bed with the Dems and things will continue to get worse.

[Robert Goulet]

Hooray for Bollywood!

and breathe while you can.

[currying favor]

Hooray for Bollywood!

and breathe while you can.


Mondello is already planning the big Indian fundraiser with Jindal as the guest of honor. He gets the point. Kumar won't be there, he's got a prior commitment with the trunk of his car.

[County Taxes]

Thanks for the democratic talking points., they are very well presented.

However, if you want the average person in Nassau County to believe thr COUNTY taxes have not gone up every year since the 18% increase Suozzi and the Legislature adopted, good luck. I see my parents assessment. Each year for the last 3 years it has gone up the full 6% - actually it was 5.99%, just under the capped 6%. This has happened while in the last 2 years housing prices have declined.

In reference to the County collecting the same amout of tax etc - could some of that be from the tax appeals the county has to pay out each year because of the terrible assessment system.

The system is killing the middle class. It is that simple.

But the point of the thread was about the poor leadership of the minority party and bringing in some new faces. There is a great opportunity to make a change, but don't worry, Joe and his crew are already in bed with the Dems and things will continue to get worse.


You talk about the prices declining in the last two years and your parents homes having an assessment increase of 5.99%. Keep in mind that the assessed value is based off the value of two years prior. For example the current school taxes 07-08, and the upcoming county & town taxes for 08, are based of values from Jan 06. It was around mid 06 where the values started to decrease (and that was actually leveling off at first than decreasing. Also because of the cap bng at 6%, which was a lower rate that the values were increasing prior to the decline, thr still needs to be some leveling off. Up until 06, and middle 06 at that we were seng double digit increases in values.

For example a couple years ago $500,000 and assessed at about the same may have seen thr home increase to $560,000 by last year, may have now seen it drop to $545,000 or so. However due to the assessment bng capped at 6%, the assessed value from last year would have been about $530,000 and not $560,000 therefore you still see a rise in assessment even if the values decline to make up for the fact that previously the home was assesse lower than the actual value. So now the home will be assessed at or near the actual value. Even with the increase in assessment it doesn't mean you will pay higher taxes, as I pointed out earlier the actual tax rate has declined.

On top of that again, its not the assessed value rising, decreasing or staying the same that determines the taxes. It is how that value change compares to the average homewoner. Also in regards to the county taxes, keep in mind that the county taxes only make up about 17% of your overall taxes, the bulk, close to 65% comes from school taxes. With the school taxes going up the overall property taxes will go uo, assessment or no assessment, the same for the town taxes, which in recent years has gone up in the Town of Oyster Bay and the Town of Hempstead. What the assessment process assures is that the taxes are paid based on the value and how the value compares to the county average. The whole reason the system was put in to begin with was because of how messe up the old system was. Where you had people in homes worth $400,000 (in today's market) paying higher taxes than someone in a home worth $750,000 in today's market. The assessment freeze gimmick could go back to that. And its not going to lower taxes no matter what Schmitt tries to claim, its not going to stop Town or school taxes from going up, which is actually what the property tax increases are tied to, not county increases 9which have been none) or assesment increases.

[assessment]

forget about the 6% cap. Levinson and Wtzman get around that each year by adjusting the assessment numbers to a fraction of what it should be. They have been doing this for years, so now the assessed value is in the hundreds rather than full market value. The form you get from the assessors office adjusts the number up to market value. This is thr trick to get around the state mandated cap on the 6% increases. So, some people do get more than a 6% increase in thr assessed value. It happens. Wtzman and Levinson know it happens, and they let it happen.

[the cap is 6%]

forget about the 6% cap. Levinson and Wtzman get around that each year by adjusting the assessment numbers to a fraction of what it should be. They have been doing this for years, so now the assessed value is in the hundreds rather than full market value. The form you get from the assessors office adjusts the number up to market value. This is thr trick to get around the state mandated cap on the 6% increases. So, some people do get more than a 6% increase in thr assessed value. It happens. Wtzman and Levinson know it happens, and they let it happen.

Not how it works. The 6% cap is actually in regards to the value of the home. On top of that the fraction they use has been the same the last couple of years 0.25%. When it was at 0.5% the actual tax rate was $82.496 per $100 of assessed value when they switched it to 0.25% the rate was $143.334. Despite claims to the contrary the way the assessment system works is as follows. Your home value or assessed value rising does NOT raise taxes. Its how that change in your value or assessment compares to the rest of the homes in the county that impacts your taxes.

[unreggie jackson]

Not how it works. The 6% cap is actually in regards to the value of the home. On top of that the fraction they use has been the same the last couple of years 0.25%. When it was at 0.5% the actual tax rate was $82.496 per $100 of assessed value when they switched it to 0.25% the rate was $143.334. Despite claims to the contrary the way the assessment system works is as follows. Your home value or assessed value rising does NOT raise taxes. Its how that change in your value or assessment compares to the rest of the homes in the county that impacts your taxes.

sorry bud, there is no cap on value of a home. The reduction to a fraction was meant to get around the 6% cap in assessed value. Thats a state law, and the county gets around it by reducing the fraction each year. If you don't get it, ask Wtzman, he does a good job of explaining it. He even as a smirk because he knows they did it to circumvent state law.

Here's the tax picture. Your market value rises, and the tied in assessed value too, as others drop, your taxes go up. Even though you did nothing to your home. Your market value and your assessed value are now tied to the whims of the real estate market. One area flops, but yours doesn't. Your taxes go up.

[Fair vs Adjusted]

sorry bud, there is no cap on value of a home. The reduction to a fraction was meant to get around the 6% cap in assessed value. Thats a state law, and the county gets around it by reducing the fraction each year. If you don't get it, ask Wtzman, he does a good job of explaining it. He even as a smirk because he knows they did it to circumvent state law.

Here's the tax picture. Your market value rises, and the tied in assessed value too, as others drop, your taxes go up. Even though you did nothing to your home. Your market value and your assessed value are now tied to the whims of the real estate market. One area flops, but yours doesn't. Your taxes go up.

The change in the fraction is NOT to get around the state law, that is simply false. First off the fraction has been the same the last few years (0.25%). Thr is no cap on the market value, but thr is a cap on the adjusted market value. The assessed value is a % (0.25%) of the adjusted market value. When you look at your tax bill you will see a fair market value, as well as an adjusted market value. The fair market value is what your home is worth. The adjusted market value is based off what its worth, but is capped at increasing from 6% from one year to the next. For example the real market value of a home can increase from $500,000 to $550,000, a 10% increase, but the adjusted value can only increase by 6% to $530,000. In that case the assessed value would increase from $1,250 to $1,325, a 6% increase. Using my home for example, the fair market value increased by 16% between jan 05 & Jan 06, but the adjusted value & assessed value increased by just under the 6% cap.