Will rebates come if residents overpay?

Nassau County Executive Laura Curran is requesting a five-year phase-in of her new property assessment [“Nassau tax hikes projected,” News, March 4]. The rationale is to reduce the burden on the 53% who have effectively been unassessed and not paying their fair share of taxes, while requiring the 46% who have been overassessed to continue to bear the burden and supplement the county by overpaying their taxes.

My question: Can the county collect more in taxes from the 46% than it is legally authorized under this new assessment? If so, will the 46% eventually receive a rebate for the amounts they overpay during this five-year phase-in period?

One reason this assessment was conducted is because the county had not performed a reassessment in a decade. After the five years, will the county not conduct a new assessment?

Richard Breen, Hewlett

I am one of the “lucky 53%” who got a property tax increase. After successfully grieving my taxes for the past four years and receiving reductions that finally put my taxes in line with neighbors owning similar homes, Nassau County has reassessed my property, and I will be one of the 53% receiving a tax increase.

In the letter I received from the Nassau County Department of Assessment, the full market value of my home increased from $442,000 to $464,360, an increase of 5.1 percent. I understand that assessed value and tax increases are not directly related, as the tax rate is responsible for the ultimate increase. I estimate that my taxes will increase about $50 per month, a significant amount for a retiree on a fixed income.

I do, however, have options. I can leave Long Island and move away from my children and grandchildren. I can vote the incumbents out of office, and hope things will change. Or I can stay, continue to complain, and just dig deeper into my pocket every year.

It’s nice to have options.

Joseph Barbera, Levittown