By Nick Buglione
The bill, which passed 10-9 on Oct. 21, seeks to end Nassau's deal to reimburse the school district for educating the 45 children now living at the Nassau University Medical Center, which is considered non-taxable property.
If County Executive Thomas Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) signs the legislation into law, East Meadow taxpayers will most likely have to pick up the tab.
In 1995, the county started making the annual payments on behalf of the untaxed resident doctors living at the medical center whose children attend East Meadow schools.
Now, Democratic supporters of the recently-passed legislation say that, since the financially-strapped county no longer owns the medical center, it should not have to make the payments anymore.
Republicans and East Meadow community members, however, maintain that the county is obligated to make the payments because it promised to, after handing over ownership of the ailing hospital to the Nassau Health Care Corporation in 1999.
Public outcry
Before the Oct. 21 vote, a small group of East Meadow school officials, community leaders and residents gathered on the steps of the Ralph G. Caso Executive and Legislative Building in Mineola for a rally.
Holding signs reading "enough is enough" and "don't stiff East Meadow with the tab," they said the legislation would devastate East Meadow schools.
"This $318,000 could be a reading teacher in every elementary school, it could be a number of computers, or it could be higher taxes," said East Meadow School District Superintendent Robert Dillon. "We cannot afford to lose these monies."
For years, East Meadow residents have complained that they bear an unfair tax burden since 25 percent of their neighborhood is considered non-taxable county land. Aside from the medical center, the Nassau County Jail, Eisenhower Park and other municipal properties are located there. Residents fear this legislation will only make their taxes more unbearable.
"Our residents are truly overburdened. Every family has at least two to four jobs," said Helen Meittinis, an East Meadow School District resident for 25 years and president of the Community Association of Stewart Avenue.
"There are no frills here; we have very modest homes," she added. "My home has the same taxes that somebody in Garden City has with maybe a $700,000 or $800,000 home."
Maryanne Snyder, a mother with four children enrolled in East Meadow schools, agreed. "I'm shocked and disappointed that East Meadow is being dumped on again," she said. "Taxes are going up daily, and what we're getting for our money is going down."
Under its 2002-2003 budget, the East Meadow School District had to cut programs, lay off teachers and raise property taxes owing to budget gaps. With money problems already forecast for the 2003-2004 budget, administrators said the district would either have to cut more programs or raise taxes even higher if the county were to stop paying the $318,000 every year.
"It's going to cost me more money," said Debbie Kirsh, an East Meadow parent with two children. "My children could lose a program or a sport. Why should my child lose a program or a sport to educate another person's child?"
Dillon estimates it would cost each household $35 extra each year to make up for the lost reimbursements. Nassau County Legis. Jeffrey Toback (D-Oceanside) said the legislative majority calculates that figure to be closer to $16 per household.
"Is $16 on a $6,700 tax bill substantial?" said Toback, questioning just how significant the impact would be on East Meadow taxpayers.
Using Toback's logic, Nassau County Legis. Dennis Dunne (R-Levittown) said that it would be just as cheap for the county to incur the cost.
"When you have a $2.4-billion budget, $318,000 is not a lot of money for the county to absorb," he said.
Superintendent Dillon estimated that to make up $318,000 county-wide, each household would have to pay less than $1 extra in property taxes annually.
Whose responsibility is it?
The Democratic legislators hold firmly to their belief that since the county doesn't own the medical center, it shouldn't pay to educate residents' children living there.
"We no longer own the hospital, it is not our hospital, it is not our responsibility to pay this," said Nassau County Legis. Judith Jacobs (D-Woodbury), the Legislature's presiding officer. "We cannot logically explain why a county on the verge of financial collapse is paying a PILOT [payment in lieu of taxes] on something we don't own."
Legis. David Denenberg (D-Merrick) echoed Jacobs' comments. "I would have a hard time explaining to my constituents why the county is making payments in lieu of taxes on property that we no longer own," he said.
Jacobs also noted that the Nassau Health Care Corporation -- the public benefit corporation that took control of the medical center in 1999 -- should pay the bill.
The Nassau Health Care Corporation, however, is mired in its own debt and would not be able to shell out the $318,000 a year, according to President and CEO Richard Turan.
"It's not viable," Turan said. "We have to live within our means, and right now, we're struggling to live within our means."
Before the 2002 fiscal year, the corporation was staring down an $82-million deficit. Through controlling spending, staff reductions and other measures, corporation officials hope to take a $65-million bite out of the shortfall by the end of this fiscal year. Even if they succeed, though, they would be $17 million in debt.
Republican legislators argue that the medical center remains strongly connected to the county, even if it does not technically own it any longer.
"The NUMC serves the entire county of Nassau so the responsibility is not just East Meadow's, it's the responsibility of the entire county because we all reap the benefits of that facility," said Dunne.
The county also subsidizes the hospital $18 million a year and would be ultimately responsible for the hundreds of millions owed in bond debt service payments if the Nassau Health Care Corporation went under.
What's more, East Meadow School District administrators and local civic leaders point out that Local Law 20, passed in 1999, reaffirmed the county's commitment to reimburse the district even after passing ownership of the hospital to the public-benefit corporation.
"Nassau shall be required to pay [the East Meadow Union Free School District] an annual amount in lieu of taxes, on behalf of the children of persons residing in the residential facilities of the Nassau County Medical Center and the facilities owned or to be acquired by the Nassau Health Care Corporation," the law reads.
Yet, the county's staggering financial problems hasten the need for that law to change, Jacobs said.
"This is a new administration that's very responsible. There's a new majority Legislature that's obviously intent on solving the problems," she said. "We've decided to move forward to make things whole again in Nassau County, and that entails not always making popular decisions."
Political football
Both parties charge that the other is letting partisanship get in the way of good decision making on this issue.
"I think it's become political football," Jacobs said. "If the Republicans were being totally honest, I think they would realize this is not a cost factor that should be in our budget."
Contention between the two parties over the legislation exploded just before the vote, as members from both sides exchanged chides.
In a self-described act of goodwill, Legis. Lisanne Altmann (D-Great Neck) motioned to amend the bill so that it would take effect on July 1, 2003, giving the East Meadow School District an extra six months to further explore their options and potentially make up the shortfall.
The amendment would also guarantee the district reimbursement for an extra half year to the tune of $156,000. Altmann invited Legis. Norma Gonsalves (R-East Meadow), who has headed up the fight to kill this legislation, to second her motion.
As fellow Democrats praised Altmann for her munificence, neither Gonsalves nor any of her Republican counterparts would second the amendment.
"This has passed through three committees of the Legislature, why now are you proposing this amendment in the eleventh hour?" she said. "The best thing we can do for the East Meadow community is to table [the bill]."
Gonsalves then motioned to postpone the vote, which was seconded. The Legislature, however, voted 10-9 against the motion. Shortly after, legislators voted 10-9 in favor of passing the bill.
What now?
County Executive Suozzi now has 30 days to either sign the bill into law or veto it. If he vetoes it, the Legislature would need 13 votes to override it.
"The buck stops with Mr. Suozzi," Gonsalves said. "He can either sign it or veto it. If he vetoes it, there isn't enough votes to override that veto."
East Meadow school officials, community leaders and residents are now setting their sights on persuading Suozzi to veto the legislation.
"I see this as the beginning phase," Dillon said. "We will crank it up. We are not going to stay on the short end of the stick any longer."
Richard Bivone, vice president of the Council of East Meadow Community Organizations, said Suozzi made a pact with local civic leaders during an Aug. 29 meeting.
"The county executive said, 'I'm not pulling the funding for East Meadow because it would be a disaster;'" Bivone said.
Yet, others don't believe this legislation would have advanced this far without Suozzi's blessing behind the scenes.
Though it is not known whether Suozzi plans on signing the legislation, his opinion already appears to be leaning toward the Democrats' side.
"I think he wants to talk to members of the Legislature, talk to the presiding officer, talk to some of the state officials and certainly talk to Rich Turan at the medical center," said Bruce Nyman, director of public policy for the county executive.
"I believe that the county executive feels this payment is and should be the responsibility of the Nassau Health Care Corporation," Nyman added. "The county executive isn't interested in throwing blame around; he's interested in finding a solution to this problem."
