Election coverage

Receiver of Taxes: collecting, dispersing money

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The Town of Hempstead Receiver of Taxes is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the office that collects taxes for 99 special districts and 33 school districts, and disburses the money without charge. Its other functions include billing and collection processes, banking, record maintenance, mail and accounting functions. The department also collects Nassau County taxes on properties within the town borders.

Donald X. Clavin Jr. has been the receiver of taxes since February 2001, having been re-elected by wide margins ever since. The position is a four-year term.

Clavin earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Canisus College in Buffalo and a Doctorate of Jurisprudence from Hofstra University School of Law. He was a trial attorney practicing in all New York courts, as well as the United States Federal district courts. He worked in the Office of the Nassau County Attorney as Deputy County Attorney. In that position, he was responsible for defending various agencies of government, ranging from the Department of General Services to the Nassau County Police Department. Clavin then entered the private sector and went on to defend various corporations including Home Depot and General Motors.

Since becoming Receiver of Taxes, Clavin has created two satellite tax offices in Lawrence and Hicksville, in addition to extending office hours during the tax payment seasons. He uses Hempstead Town’s Mobile Town Hall to collect taxes and address the concerns of town residents. He has also implemented email and text message reminder programs to help taxpayers make timely payments. Taxpayers can now pay their tax bills by credit card or e-check, online or by phone. Clavin also created the first taxpayer drive-thru payment window in New York State.

Clavin said that he worked to successfully to urge former Gov. George Pataki to sign an executive order that extended time for tax payments for those families affected by the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11.

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