Nassau County assessments, 2024 presidential election, Grand Central Madison station, GOP Senate nominee Mike Sapraicone

Assessment system is not friendly at all

Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman in his State of the County speech called the county assessment system “more fair, accurate, transparent and resident-friendly” [“Blakeman touts success, blasts critics in address,” News, March 7]. His claims could not be further from the truth.

For the past two years, property values have increased while assessed values have remained frozen. The assessment rolls have degraded to levels that rival those of former County Executive Edward Mangano’s era. They are not fair or accurate.

The fair market value of many homes is 30% to 40% greater than the assessed values that the county assigns. Moreover, when the county assigns an assessed value, it knows that the assessed value it assigns is inaccurate. How is assigning false values transparent or resident-friendly?

Finally, how can you call a system “resident-friendly” when it compels more than 200,000 residents to grieve their assessment every year just to be fairly taxed, and when it pushes a disproportionate tax burden onto those who do not obtain assessment reductions?

The system that Blakeman has allowed to deteriorate is not “more fair, accurate, transparent and resident-friendly.” It is the opposite.

— Jeffrey Gold, Bellmore

The writer is a former Nassau County Assessment Review commissioner.

If ’24 picks are bad, what can be done?

Addressing the rematch of President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, an article reported that a recent poll found that a majority of Americans don’t think either Biden or Trump has the necessary mental acuity for the job “Super showing for Biden, Trump,” News, March 6]. If this is true, and I believe it is, why are Americans forced to choose between two candidates whom they are unhappy with?

It seems that election after election, the American public is asked not to vote for a candidate they support but for the candidate they believe is “less worse.”

This repeat of the 2020 election leaves a large swath of the electorate unenthusiastic, even cynical about the upcoming 2024 election. With voters’ expectations set so low for either candidate, how can we as a nation hope to accomplish any meaningful change?

Perhaps it’s time we demand better from both major political parties. Maybe it’s time we evaluate our antiquated primary system or, at the very least, include a “none of the above” option that would require the parties to be responsive to their members and submit a new slate of candidates.

— Paul Schaefer, Smithtown

GC Madison deserves riders’ patience

Although the original cost of Grand Central Madison ballooned and it had years of delays, this is a game changer for residents of Long Island and New York City [“Praise and shrugs for Grand Central Madison,” News Feb. 25].

Regular commuters adjust, learning the best exits, escalators and doors to shorten the time to get to and from street level.

Regarding schedule changes, the Long Island Rail Road collects data for number of passengers, times of crowded and empty trains, stations showing where most riders enter and exit, etc.

It takes time to incorporate the data into existing schedules and create new schedules based on train, track and crew availability.

Also, the decried lack of dining choices lessens the probability of food and beverages ending up thrown on the ground or on the floors of subway and railroad cars.

— Allan Rabinowitz, Old Bethpage

Is the criticism that Grand Central Madison is difficult to navigate a serious thing? When someone moves into a new city, is not yet knowing where things are a valid criticism of the city?

The first several times someone uses Madison, yes, it’s tricky. And then it’s not. There could be any number of legitimate criticisms of Madison. But being tricky for a new user to navigate isn’t one of them.

— Drew Oringer, Syosset

GOP infighting over nominee a bad look

I am bewildered that the Republican Party has infighting over the Senate nomination of Mike Sapraicone due to the fear of enraging former President Donald Trump, who has admitted he is vindictive “Republicans fight over Sapraicone Senate nom,” News, March 10].

Now, with new information about Sapraicone and his company having donated to Democratic state Attorney General Letitia James, would Trump support a person who would primary someone he already has endorsed? Is that what this state’s GOP politics has come down to? Fear of one man who is currently a private citizen and holds no political office? Is that whom we want to elect — a strongman who stops at nothing to be vindictive against those disloyal to him?

A proud political party that truly believes in its policies should nominate the candidate it feels best represents the party and its policies and will do his or her best for the constituents.

— Christina Paino, Hauppauge