Study: LI scored high in real estate tax tabs

Nassau homeowners pay the second highest median real estate taxes in the country - and Suffolk is not far behind, in 11th place - according to a study by a Washington-based think tank.

The Tax Foundation Tuesday released a report titled "New Census Data on Property Taxes on Homeowners," ranking Nassau behind Westchester in median property taxes paid in 2009. Nassau homeowners paid a median of $8,940 in 2009 while Westchester paid a median of $9,044 and Suffolk paid a median of $7,361.

Nationally, the 10 highest-taxed counties were in New York or New Jersey. The national median is $1,917.

The same study showed Nassau and Suffolk are not in the top 10 counties where median real estate taxes were highest as a percentage of home values. That distinction goes to nine New York counties and one in New Jersey.

In the nine New York counties, including Monroe, Niagara, Wayne and Erie - mostly poor rural areas upstate with some urban pockets - median real estate taxes paid ranged from 2.43 percent of home values to 2.89 percent of home values, the highest in the country.

The national figure is 1.04 percent.

"Nassau County has these really high home values," said Kail Padgitt, an economist at the Tax Foundation. "The rate it's able to charge is lower. Even though they might be charging a lower rate, they are still raising a lot of revenue."

Seth Forman, chief planner for the Long Island Regional Planning Council, said Nassau provides lots of services and hosts school districts that rank among the top in the nation so it makes sense the amount paid in taxes is on the high end.