All properties in Nassau County set to be reassessed for property taxes

SYOSSET, N.Y. (WABC) -- If you own a home in Nassau County on Long Island, hang on to your wallets.

For the first time in four years, every piece of property will be reassessed.

Property values have soared in the tri-state since 2011.

On this block in Syosset, where nearly every other home is enlarged and newly renovated, a property tax re-assessment would bring a heap of uncertainty.

"When we first moved to this neighborhood. The taxes were low they were consistent for many, many years. I would say in the last five to 10 years they have jumped greatly," said Bari Hertz, a Syosset homeowner.

But County Executive Ed Mangano says that's precisely why re-assessment is needed to correct values. Just not while he's in office, there had been a freeze on property value increases.

Now, Mangano is moving toward re-assessment in 2018.

Because according to a spokesperson, "Thousands of homes were damaged by Superstorm Sandy. Accordingly, reassessment was postponed."

In the meantime, many people's taxes continue to go up and for some, quality of life is going down.

"I'm almost at $10,000 for a 1,200 square foot house with not even 80 by 100 corner property that gets trashed on," said Jamie, a Syosset homeowner.

As to why property taxes are going up for some and not others, Eyewitness News asked an expert.

Jeff Gold is an attorney who helped supervise the last property re-assessment, which was 12 years ago. He says the system is manipulated.

"So people are grieving their taxes four, five, six years in a row and they're seeing reductions almost every year," Gold said.

That's while others are forced to make up for it. So as for any future re-assessments, Eyewitness News asked where is the oversight going to be?

Taxpayers are just hoping Mangano might answer that and a few of their own questions.

"Do you want to level us off on an even playing field with the rest of the country? That's cool. If you want to reassess for more money because you're...then you know what...bye-bye!" said Warren Morse, a Syosset taxpayer.

For more information on how to grieve your property taxes (between Jan-March) without paying an attorney visit: https://www.nassaucountyny.gov/1510/Assessment-Review-Commission

and on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/NassauGrieveYourTaxAssessmentFree/