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A Few Clouds Town Receiver of Taxes Endorsement
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Clavin for town receiver of taxes
Receiver of taxes is one of those offices that doesn't seem like it should be political, but on Nov. 6, Town of Hempstead voters will decide whether Donald X. Clavin Jr. should serve another two years. The two-term Republican is being challenged by Democrat Geoffrey N. Prime, a political newcomer. Clavin has proved to be an excellent public servant in his four years in the job, and we wholeheartedly support his re-election.
Clavin is a real people person. He believes his job is to educate residents about their property taxes - which he readily admits are high - and to make it easier for them to pay them. The 38-year-old Valley Stream native, an attorney who now lives with his wife and 5-month-old daughter in Garden City, seems to bring a real sense of purpose to his job, in addition to a wealth of energy.
He speaks animatedly about the educational seminars he has conducted at libraries throughout the town, explaining the tax bills his office prepares and distributes and providing specifics on various exemption programs as well as information on how taxpayers can challenge their homes' assessments, which are set by the county.
Clavin also proudly describes his innovations: tax bills are now printed in-house on standard-size paper, and include a pie chart illustrating the percentage of each resident's taxes that go to the town, county, schools and, where applicable, village. He says these bills are cheaper to produce and provide taxpayers with more information. And he cites service improvements during his tenure that he insists have not cost residents a dime, such as the establishment of satellite tax offices in Lawrence and Levittown, the use of the mobile town hall to bring services to various communities, the opening of a drive-through tax collection office, and the receiver's office's extended hours of operation at peak tax collection times. Clavin also instituted expanded credit card and e-check payment options, as well as e-mail reminders of tax deadlines.
He plans to continue to streamline operations, ensuring that his office does its part to avoid adding to the tax burden. Clavin would like to eventually move to a paperless office. This is something on which he and his challenger agree.
Prime, a 36-year-old South Floral Park defense attorney who is senior partner in a Garden City law firm, spoke of how a "green office and green products" would help reduce taxes. Prime also described himself as civic-minded, with a genuine love of the community. Among his most compelling assertions is that he is not beholden to anyone, and promises to run a politically neutral office. This in a Republican-controlled town government that, while generally doing a good job, has also been doing a fair share of partisan finger-pointing in its numerous constituent publications.
Despite Prime's good intentions and the very real possibility that he would be an asset to Town of Hempstead voters, we see no reason to replace Clavin at this point. He has truly been a good public servant, and we encourage voters to return him to office.
Clavin is a real people person. He believes his job is to educate residents about their property taxes - which he readily admits are high - and to make it easier for them to pay them. The 38-year-old Valley Stream native, an attorney who now lives with his wife and 5-month-old daughter in Garden City, seems to bring a real sense of purpose to his job, in addition to a wealth of energy.
He speaks animatedly about the educational seminars he has conducted at libraries throughout the town, explaining the tax bills his office prepares and distributes and providing specifics on various exemption programs as well as information on how taxpayers can challenge their homes' assessments, which are set by the county.
Clavin also proudly describes his innovations: tax bills are now printed in-house on standard-size paper, and include a pie chart illustrating the percentage of each resident's taxes that go to the town, county, schools and, where applicable, village. He says these bills are cheaper to produce and provide taxpayers with more information. And he cites service improvements during his tenure that he insists have not cost residents a dime, such as the establishment of satellite tax offices in Lawrence and Levittown, the use of the mobile town hall to bring services to various communities, the opening of a drive-through tax collection office, and the receiver's office's extended hours of operation at peak tax collection times. Clavin also instituted expanded credit card and e-check payment options, as well as e-mail reminders of tax deadlines.
He plans to continue to streamline operations, ensuring that his office does its part to avoid adding to the tax burden. Clavin would like to eventually move to a paperless office. This is something on which he and his challenger agree.
Prime, a 36-year-old South Floral Park defense attorney who is senior partner in a Garden City law firm, spoke of how a "green office and green products" would help reduce taxes. Prime also described himself as civic-minded, with a genuine love of the community. Among his most compelling assertions is that he is not beholden to anyone, and promises to run a politically neutral office. This in a Republican-controlled town government that, while generally doing a good job, has also been doing a fair share of partisan finger-pointing in its numerous constituent publications.
Despite Prime's good intentions and the very real possibility that he would be an asset to Town of Hempstead voters, we see no reason to replace Clavin at this point. He has truly been a good public servant, and we encourage voters to return him to office.
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