Mineola Mayor Jack M. Martins spoke to the Mineola Chamber of Commerce last week about trying to ease the property tax burden on property owners during the annual state-of-the-village address.

Martins spoke about the current state of the village finances that are on solid footing thanks to the development of alternative revenue streams and basic, sound fiscal management. The village's long-term debt has been reduced from $33 million in 2003 to approximately $25 million at the end of the current fiscal year.

"I think we'll all agree that taxes are and continue to be the scourge of our times. Taxes threaten our quality of life and all that we hold essential to suburban life. If nothing is done to alleviate this burden, we are left with the prospect of having to choose between are continued piece of the American dream and our ever decreasing ability to pay for it," said Martins.

The Village of Mineola finds itself in the same predicament as most other municipalities in Nassau County. Although expenses continue to rise, communities such as Mineola, which are mature and are no longer growing, are finding it difficult to increase their tax bases. As a result, increases in expenses are being passed off to property owners in the form of property taxes.

"The status quo is simply not good enough. As much as we may want to hold on to the past, we must let go and focus on the promise of a bright future," Martins said. "We, as a village, have never been more ready."

The mayor hopes that residential development will eventually be born along the Old Country Road corridor near the train station and thus the village would see an increase in its property tax base without compromising the character of the neighborhoods. "Through smart growth initiatives, we can encourage residential development in areas that are currently only developed commercially," Martins said.

The mayor said the village is also pursuing additional revenues to ease the ever-growing burden on taxpayers and ways to continue cutting expenses. The village has taken a hit to its tax base in recent years. Every property purchased by Chaminade High School is one that is taken off the taxroll since Chaminade is a religious institution. Also, property has come off the taxroll as a result of the Roslyn Road grade cross elimination project.

One important process the village is currently undergoing is a complete reassessment. The eventual goal of the reassessment process is to implement a more accurate property assessment in order to reduce the number of tax certiorari challenges for repayments of overpaid taxes, something that has put a drain on the village budget for years.

Martins said the village is prepared to tackle this issue by reassessing its properties for the first time since 1938. Although there are sure to be property owners who see the value of their properties increase as a result of the reassessment, the mayor as well as the entire village board are seeking a more accurate assessment than the current, outdated one. A more accurate assessment should eventually significantly reduce tax certiorari payments, which, as the mayor alluded to, account for approximately 10 percent of the village's tax base.

The mayor also vowed to keep an eye on potential projects such as the Long Island Rail Road third track, the county's proposal for the redevelopment of parking facilities on the south side of Old Country Road and the proposal of a light rail system as part of the county's HUB development. "We must protect the integrity of our vision for our village's future," he said. "As always, we will listen and ultimately take the steps necessary to protect our community and do what is best for our village."