It is no secret that high property taxes are a major concern for all Long Island homeowners. Nassau County has not raised property taxes for the last three years, and I am proud to have never voted for a tax increase. Yet despite our financial turnaround here in Nassau, the problem still persists for many taxpayers. So why do our taxes keep going up? And what can we do to fight it?

The first step toward change is to understand the roots of the problem. That is why I will be hosting a series of town hall meetings throughout the 14th Legislative District beginning in late April and culminating with the school budget votes on May 16. With many school districts once again facing significant tax increases, it is extremely important to educate ourselves about the facts of high taxes before we vote on this year's budgets.

High property and school taxes are a complex problem caused by a variety of factors, from Albany and Washington all the way down to our local villages, school districts and special districts. Unfunded mandates, mismanagement, excessive government, and poor planning at all levels can all contribute to tax bills that hurt our most vulnerable residents.

These town hall meetings are designed to explain what these factors are, why they cause our taxes to go up, and how we can work together to fix the problems and ease the tax burden. Please join me on the following dates:

Thursday, May 4 at 7 p.m. at Plainedge High School, 241 Wyngate Drive, North Massapequa.

Tuesday, May 9 at 7 p.m. at Plainview-Old Bethpage Public Library, 999 Old Country Road, Plainview.

Wednesday, May 10 at 7 p.m. at Jonas E. Salk Middle School, 3359 North Jerusalem Road, Levittown.

I hope to see you at these community meetings. As always, please do not hesitate to contact me at 571-6214 with any questions or comments, or via e-mail at DMejias@NassauCountyNY.gov.

David Mejias, (D.-N. Massapequa)

Member, Nassau County Legislature