Property tax relief offered for Sandy victims

Nassau County will allow property owners victimized by superstorm Sandy to receive a tax refund or credit, officials announced.

"Nassau County will adjust, retroactively, any property tax assessment to account for losses in value due to superstorm Sandy," said County Executive Edward Mangano, who made the announcement Wednesday with Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray and Oyster Bay Town Supervisor John Venditto at county headquarters in Mineola.

Mangano said, "For those homeowners who were devastated by the storm and are still struggling to restore their homes, this necessary property tax relief measure is long overdue."

Murray said that "by reducing the tax burdens of those who own storm-damaged houses, we are helping them to focus on the difficult task of rebuilding their houses and their lives."

Venditto added, "I am proud to stand with my allies in government in announcing this new measure."

Mangano, who lobbied for the bill, praised Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo, "for his initiative to protect taxpayers and municipalities."

So, too, did John Riordan, interim supervisor for North Hempstead, who said: "Any relief that can be made available to them to help . . . [Long Islanders] financially is welcomed. I applaud Governor Cuomo for making that possible by signing into law the "superstorm Sandy Assessment Relief Act."

SEE PHOTOSAerial views of Sandy damage

The superstorm Sandy Assessment Relief Act allows counties to "opt-in" to Nassau's tax refund program. Homeowners who filed a "Property Damage Review Form" with the Department of Assessment will not have to resubmit additional paperwork unless asked to do so by the county.

If residents have additional cost information that was not submitted with their original application, it should be submitted to the Department of Assessment immediately at 240 Old Country Rd. in Mineola. Homeowners who have yet to report structural damages caused by Sandy may be asked to submit a property damage review form that is prepared by the New York State Office of Real Property Tax Services.