In response to her constituents’ concerns, Nassau County Legislator Laura Schaefer pressed the administration to figure out why some of the residents of the 14th district were being overcharged on their property tax bills. After several weeks of persistent inquiries, a transcription error in the 2018 budget was discovered which caused residents in five Nassau villages to be overcharged when a flat Countywide sewer tax increase was mistakenly levied on some homeowners in Rockville Centre, Hempstead, Freeport, Garden City and Mineola at a much higher rate.
“While a simple error seems to have caused this problem, it is unacceptable that residents have taken on this unnecessary burden,” said Legislator Schaefer. “Thankfully, legislation is already in the works to allow the county to issue refunds to the overtaxed residents.”
The Legislature’s Rules Committee approved legislation allowing the county to issue refunds to residents who have already paid their 2018 taxes and the error will be corrected for those paying their taxes later this year. The refunds will be issued out of the county’s sewer fund.
Shown in photo above, left to right: Town of Hempstead Supervisor Laura Gillen, Presiding Officer Richard J. Nicolello, County Executive Laura Curran, Legislator Schaefer, Legislator Kevan Abrahams and Legislator Debra Mule.