Seaford veterans to get tax break

Seaford’s veterans will see a reduction in their school taxes beginning with the 2015-16 school year. On Dec. 4, the Seaford Board of Education voted unanimously, in four separate resolutions, to provide a partial reduction of school taxes for the 588 veterans who live in the district. While the exemption will be of no cost to the district, residents living in single-family homes will see an average yearly tax increase of $46.54.

The school board voted to address the veteran’s exemption by Class I properties (single family homes), Class II properties (condos and co-ops) and a resolution that allows the transfer of the eligibility of the benefit from one property to another within the district. The fourth resolution offers an exemption to Gold Star parents.

Veterans may see anywhere from a 15 percent reduction to a 65 percent reduction in the assessed value of their home up to $60,000, depending on their combat status and disabilities related to service in the U.S. armed forces.

In December of 2013, New York State amended the real property tax law to allow school districts to offer the alternative veterans’ property tax exemption previously provided to veterans only by the county, town and villages. In February, the school board decided to table the issue and placed a resolution on the May school ballot. Nearly three-quarters of voters were in favor of passing the resolution to offer the veterans’ property tax exemption. On Nov. 20, the school board held at hearing on the matter. Veterans, including Ralph Scinta and Charles Wroblewski, urged the board to vote in favor of it.The resolutions passed without any further discussion at the Dec. 4 board meeting.

Gym rededication

In other matters, the Seaford school board voted to authorize the rededication of the high school gymnasium as the Seaford Memorial Gymnasium as a tribute to servicemen and women who lost their lives while serving in the U.S. military. A rededication ceremony will be held on Friday, Jan. 23 as part of the Bob Gerbino Wrestling Match.

Superintendent of Schools Brian Conboy told the school board and members of the public that the gymnasium was originally dedicated on July 11, 1968, and has eight plaques, located in the lobby outside the high school gym, with the names of those Seafordites who lost their lives in service to their country. “We seem to have lost sight of meaning of this memorial,” Conboy said. “It’s time we do this.”

Additionally, Conboy reported that the Nassau County Planning Commission unanimously approved the Seaford Avenue School site plan, where the developer — BK at Seaford hopes to build condominiums. “This is a big step,” Conboy said. “We are very excited about this project moving forward.”