Thank you, thank you! Mr. Frank Marrone, in regard to your letter in The Westbury Times. (Property Tax Relief Needed ... 5/17/01) I could not have said it any better!

Though we are not "directly" a taxpayer, we rent. We are renting an upstairs, legal, registered, apartment in a two-family house. (My mom, a senior citizen, owns this house.) As with every senior citizen, mom is living on a fixed income, as well as the primary caretaker of my mentally handicapped brother.

My mom was not entitled to a "full" school tax exemption for reasons that we, her tenants, who reside on her property, for which an exemption from school taxes is sought, have a child who attends public school, utilizing the district. However, if my child, or any child for this matter, who is residing on this property, attends a private or parochial school, the exemption may be granted. Can you imagine? I see nothing fair with this law. It is a disgrace. I have written, as well as spoken to, state, town, county, village representatives - "it is the law" as I am being told!

Instead of just "speaking" amongs ourselves, we all need to listen to Mr. Marrone's words, "We need to begin by working within our system of government." "Send a strong signal."

Let's all stick together, and do something ... not just talk about it!

Alicejean Winterhalter