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A Few Clouds Two vie for Town Receiver of Taxes
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Clavin challenged as town's receiver of taxes
S. Floral Park attorney hopes to oust Republican incumbent
By JUDY RATTNER
A 36-year-old defense lawyer who is senior partner in a Garden City law firm will challenge Town of Hempstead Receiver of Taxes Donald X. Clavin Jr., a Republican, next month. Clavin has held the position since February 2001.
Democrat Geoffrey Prime, a self-described political newcomer who is in his first campaign for elected office, is running against the 38-year-old Clavin, a fellow attorney and a Valley Stream native who lives with his wife and 5-month-old daughter in Garden City.
Promising to bring fresh ideas and energy to the position and to run a politically neutral office, Prime says he does not owe anyone anything, and therefore would not be beholden to anyone. "I would be an independent voice in the office," he said. The former Nassau County assistant district attorney, who is not married, described himself as civic-minded, with a genuine love of the community and a sense of purpose. He said he has had a "resolution-based career track" and is accustomed to dealing with the public.
In a race that is generally controversy-free, the two men both said they believed that residents dealing with a heavy tax burden needed as much information as possible about their tax bills, which the receiver of taxes prepares and sends out. Both candidates stressed that it is important for taxpayers to understand that the receiver of taxes does not set the tax rate; that is the county's responsibility.
Both men spoke of the need to streamline and run the most efficient operation possible in order to reduce the office's overhead, and ultimately the tax burden on residents. Clavin pointed to his increased use of technology, with expanded credit card and e-check payment options, as well as e-mail reminders of tax deadlines. He said he would eventually like to move to a paperless office. Prime spoke of how a "green office and green products" would themselves reduce taxes.
Clavin described his efforts to educate people about their tax bills, providing specifics on various exemption programs and information on how to challenge assessments at taxpayer forums he has been holding in communities throughout the town. He cited service enhancement initiatives that he said have not cost taxpayers anything, such as the establishment of satellite tax offices in Lawrence and Levittown, use of the mobile town hall to bring services to each community, the opening of a drive-through tax collection office in the rear of the Hempstead tax office, and the office's extended hours of operation at peak tax collection times.
Clavin also mentioned the use of a pie chart in tax statements to illustrate the percentage of town, county, school and village taxes. He said that the bills, which are now laser-printed in-house, are cheaper to produce and provide taxpayers with more information.
Both men see a big part of the job of receiver of taxes as working with residents to keep their tax bills from being a mystery, and ensuring that the office does its part to avoid adding to their tax burden.
Comments about this story? RVCeditor@liherald.com.
S. Floral Park attorney hopes to oust Republican incumbent
By JUDY RATTNER
A 36-year-old defense lawyer who is senior partner in a Garden City law firm will challenge Town of Hempstead Receiver of Taxes Donald X. Clavin Jr., a Republican, next month. Clavin has held the position since February 2001.
Democrat Geoffrey Prime, a self-described political newcomer who is in his first campaign for elected office, is running against the 38-year-old Clavin, a fellow attorney and a Valley Stream native who lives with his wife and 5-month-old daughter in Garden City.
Promising to bring fresh ideas and energy to the position and to run a politically neutral office, Prime says he does not owe anyone anything, and therefore would not be beholden to anyone. "I would be an independent voice in the office," he said. The former Nassau County assistant district attorney, who is not married, described himself as civic-minded, with a genuine love of the community and a sense of purpose. He said he has had a "resolution-based career track" and is accustomed to dealing with the public.
In a race that is generally controversy-free, the two men both said they believed that residents dealing with a heavy tax burden needed as much information as possible about their tax bills, which the receiver of taxes prepares and sends out. Both candidates stressed that it is important for taxpayers to understand that the receiver of taxes does not set the tax rate; that is the county's responsibility.
Both men spoke of the need to streamline and run the most efficient operation possible in order to reduce the office's overhead, and ultimately the tax burden on residents. Clavin pointed to his increased use of technology, with expanded credit card and e-check payment options, as well as e-mail reminders of tax deadlines. He said he would eventually like to move to a paperless office. Prime spoke of how a "green office and green products" would themselves reduce taxes.
Clavin described his efforts to educate people about their tax bills, providing specifics on various exemption programs and information on how to challenge assessments at taxpayer forums he has been holding in communities throughout the town. He cited service enhancement initiatives that he said have not cost taxpayers anything, such as the establishment of satellite tax offices in Lawrence and Levittown, use of the mobile town hall to bring services to each community, the opening of a drive-through tax collection office in the rear of the Hempstead tax office, and the office's extended hours of operation at peak tax collection times.
Clavin also mentioned the use of a pie chart in tax statements to illustrate the percentage of town, county, school and village taxes. He said that the bills, which are now laser-printed in-house, are cheaper to produce and provide taxpayers with more information.
Both men see a big part of the job of receiver of taxes as working with residents to keep their tax bills from being a mystery, and ensuring that the office does its part to avoid adding to their tax burden.
Comments about this story? RVCeditor@liherald.com.
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