The Village of Massapequa Park this week scheduled public hearings to consider the creation of four distinct business improvement districts and special assessment districts within the municipality.

The public hearings, to be held during the regular village board of trustees meeting of Dec. 11, will consider two proposals. One would create a Business Improvement District for each of the following locations: a) Park Boulevard from Clark Boulevard to Tyrconnell Avenue, b) Front Street from Seventh Avenue to Mayflower Avenue, c) Sunrise Highway from Lakeshore Boulevard to Cartwright Boulevard, d) Merrick Road from Massapequa High School to Park Boulevard. The other proposal would create a Special Assessment District for each of the same locations.

The purpose of the districts is to facilitate ongoing downtown revitalization efforts, according to Mayor Camillo Giannattasio. "It puts us in the position in the future, if we ever wanted to go forward with any type of improvement to the downtown areas - if we wanted to and if we could get the landlords and owners involved - we could borrow money and put the bond not against the village but against the special assessment district, which would then not affect our tax rate," explained Giannattasio. Through such an initiative, the village would assess property owners within the district an extra fee to pay back the loan. In this way, improvements in that district would be funded by property owners within the area, rather than all village taxpayers.

This process would also help jump-start grant-funded downtown improvement projects, noted Giannattasio. For example, while waiting for expected funds from the state or county, the village could loan the business district the funds. The loan could then be paid off when the grant is received. "Basically, we could go ahead, take out a bond, give them the money, and then we would assess them to pay it back," said Giannattasio. "Then when we get the money from the state or the county, say a year or two down the road, we take that money and then pay off the bond."

Giannattasio noted that approval of the current proposals is only a preliminary step in the establishment of the special districts. Before the village would loan money to a business district, further authorization would be needed. "Obviously, when we go forward, we'll have to have another public hearing and identify exactly what the district is for, and what the money is being borrowed for and what the money will be used for and paid back for," said the mayor.

According to Giannattasio, the proposals have the support of the village board. The board is expected to vote on the proposals following public input at the Dec. 11 meeting, which begins at 8 p.m in the board room at Village Hall.