Legislative District 14 Update:
Dear Resident,
Earlier this week, I also participated in a legislative hearing to address anti-Asian violence and hate crimes. Nassau County has one of the largest growing Asian populations in the United States. Demographic estimates show that Asian Americans constitute approximately 10% of Nassau’s population. Across the country, acts of Anti-Asian hate have occurred with an alarming frequency and we’ve seen several horrific acts committed in and around NYC just recently. Thankfully, there have been no instances of anti-Asian violence in Nassau County. However, it is still imperative to ensure that the Nassau County Police Department and District Attorney’s Office are prepared and ready to act on and prevent any acts of hatred or violence.
Racial hate and bias have no place in our society and violence of this nature against anyone is reprehensible and must not be tolerated. I, along with every member of the Nassau County Legislative Majority, universally condemn such behavior and anyone committing crimes by acting out in this manner should be apprehended and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
On the topic of reassessment, the Nassau County Legislative Majority recently filed legislation that would require the county to honor the terms of a settlement agreement that was reached as a result of a lawsuit filed by residents who sought greater transparency in the reassessment process. The agreement, made last October, called on the county to post vital reassessment information for residents to access online so that they could better understand what the numbers on their tax bill were attributable to. To date, none of the information has been posted.
This lack of transparency by the County Executive and Department of Assessment is unacceptable and indefensible. The reassessment process has been flawed from the beginning and has ultimately resulted in significant tax increases for hundreds of thousands of Nassau County homeowners. This latest disregard of a settlement agreement is just another example of the lack of respect being shown to the people of Nassau County.
The new bill is now under legislative committee review and is expected to be voted on by the full legislature later this month. I will be voting to support this measure for increased reassessment transparency.
As always, please feel free to contact me with any thoughts and ideas you may have with respect to the County or on any particular issue that you think I may be able to assist you with. You may contact me at (516) 571-6214 or by email at LSchaefer@NassauCountyNY.gov .
Sincerely,
Laura M. Schaefer
Legislator, District 14