There is a lot of misinformation circulating in television and newspaper accounts regarding the recent Assessment Disclosure notices sent to Nassau County residents.

In fact, of the 392,816 update notices sent out, 311,454, or 79.29 percent, indicate an anticipated tax increase or decrease of less than $500. Forty thousand one hundred sixty-six notices (10.22 percent) indicate a decrease of more than $500, and 41,196 (10.49 percent) indicate an increase of more than $500.

The bottom line is that almost 80 percent of the notices received by Nassau property owners last week contained changes in taxes of less than $500. Less than 11 percent contained an increase of more than $500.

In an attempt to set the record straight, I offer the following information, broken down by property class:

* Class One - One, two and three-family houses and residential condominiums of three stories or less.

Increase/Decrease in Taxes	Percent of Total
	(358,802 Notices)
Less than $500 increase or decrease	81.72% (293,209)
Decrease of more than $500	8.66% (31,081)
Increase of more than $500	9.62% (34,512)

* Class Two - Apartment buildings, residential cooperatives and residential condominiums of four stories or more.

Increase/Decrease in Taxes	Percent of Total
	(4,701 Notices)
Less than $500 increase or decrease	66.75% (3,138)
Decrease of more than $500	20.04% (942)
Increase of more than $500	13.21% (621)

* Class Three - Utility Properties. These properties are being revalued by the New York State Office of Real Property Services (ORPS) at no cost; a savings to Nassau residents of over $1 million. These values have not yet been delivered to the County Department of Assessment. * Class Four - Primarily commercial and business properties and vacant land. Increase/Decrease in Taxes Percent of Total

	(29,313 Notices
Less than $500 increase or decrease	51.54% (15,107)
Decrease of more than $500	27.78% (8,143)
Increase of more than $500	20.68% (6,063)

Reassessment does not cause any shift in taxes from one property class to another.

Over the past year, the market values of residential properties in Nassau County appreciated more than 25 percent - the largest increase in any county in the United States.

As the elected official in charge of administering the court-ordered reassessment project, I have worked every day to make sure that Cole Layer Trumble identify and capture any increase or decrease in the fair market values of each of Nassau County's over 415,000 properties in order to ensure the accuracy of the County's Assessment Roll.

Nassau homeowners who have shouldered an unfair additional tax burden for years because their neighbors were under-assessed will finally be treated equitably by an assessment system that is improved and will be more accurate each year as the department proceeds with the annual court-ordered updates.

The fairness of Nassau County's property assessment system has always been my top priority.

Property owners had until Friday, Nov. 21 to challenge CLT's assessments. The formal grievance process runs from Jan. 2 through March 2, 2004.

Charles O'Shea

Chairman

Nassau County Board of Assessors