Mangano to the rescue?

Throughout his campaign for county executive, Ed Mangano cited the need for reform of Nassau County's much-maligned assessment system. Seven days into his term, Mangano unveiled his plan of action.

"We want to reverse the cycle of indebting future generations," he said.

Mangano said that his plan is aimed at improving an error-plagued system that he says is responsible for about $1.13 billion — or 46 percent — of the county's debt. The other 54 percent is outstanding debt on capital improvement projects countywide. Officials say that assessment-related errors cost the county about $150 million a year.

The plan includes the formation of a volunteer-based Assessment Review Team, which will analyze the current system and explore several initiatives, including a switch from an annual system to a cyclical one and a freeze of the 2010 tax rolls. Currently, homeowners receive their assessment for the following year, and they have until March 1 to challenge their 2011 valuation.

Instead, the review team will evaluate Mangano's plan to freeze the 2010 tax rolls and make them the basis for grievances during the cycle that is chosen.

"If we start eliminating errors annually, Nassau County will no longer have to bond," Mangano said, "then we will begin shrinking the $1.2 billion debt that can rise to $1.3 [billion] in 2010."

The Assessment Review Team will be led by Port Washington lawyer Patrick Foye, a former chairman of the Empire State Development Corporation and CEO of the United Way of Long Island. Other members will be announced in the coming days, and the team is expected to analyze the effects of a four-year assessment cycle and report back to Mangano with a plan by June 30. Mangano said that the cycle may be reduced to three years if the team recommends it, but a cycle would not exceed five years.

The team will also look into legislation on the state level that could be necessary to execute Mangano's plan.