By John C. O'Connell
Low income seniors, disabled get tax benefits
Seniors and disabled residents of Valley Stream with incomes below $29,000 will receive partial property tax exemptions thanks to new laws enacted by village trustees late last month.
By a unanimous vote of the Board of Trustees on August 28, village code was changed so that "real property owned by one or more persons, each of whom is 65 years of age or over, or real property owned by husband and wife, one of whom is 65 years of age or older," will pay less property taxes depending on how much below $29,000 in annual income they have.
Such qualified households will receive a 50 per cent exemption if annual income is under $20,500; a 45 percent exemption if annual income is $20,500 to $21,499; 40 percent if $21,500 to $22,499; 35 percent if $22,500 to $23,499; 30 percent if $23,500 to $24,399; 25 percent if $24,400 to $25,299; 20 percent if $25,300 to $26,199; 15 percent if $26,200 to $27,099; 10 percent if $27,100 to $27,999; or 5 percent if $28,000 to $28,999.
Property owned by permanently disabled residents qualify for a sliding scale of property tax exemptions based on annual income on the same scale as with seniors.
A new retirement incentive program also enacted by the village on August 28 will become effective October 3. Additional retirement benefits will be available to eligible employees of the village only during a 90-day period, October 3 to December 31, 2000.
Resolutions passed
-Moneys were transferred from accounts. $3,385.50 was moved from the contingency fund to safety inspection equipment. $3,331 was moved from emergency disaster management - personal services, to emergency disaster management - equipment. $492 was moved from fire prevention bureau contractual expense to fire prevention bureau equipment.
-The Board decided to designate nine institutions as village financial depositories: The Bank of New York, Chase Manhattan, European American Bank, HSBC, North Fork Bank, Republic National, Citibank, Fleet Bank, and the State Bank of Long Island.
-The Board approved settlements on three property tax reassessment claims, or tax certioraris. For a petitioner known as National Amusements, which is the Movieplex at Green Acres, going back as far as 1990, a negotiated refund of $210,000 was approved and a reduction in assessed value from $610,000 to $491,300. For petitioners Jack Parker and Sidney Esikoff, for 1989 to 2001, a $14,000 negotiated refund was approved and a reduction in assessed value from $16,210 to $11,000. For petitioners Donald A. Branker, for 1996 to 2001, a $7,600 refund was approved and a reduction in assessed value from $19,550 to $12,000.
-The Board approved an agreement with Nassau County, known as the Community Development program, in which the village is asking for $280,000 in block grants for residential and commercial projects for the improvement of the village.
-A financial assistance grant request was also approved under the New York State 2000 Parks Grant Program Clean Water Clean Air Bond Act.
-A fire extinguisher maintenance contract was approved with Accurate Fire Equipment, Inc.
-An bid of $23,642 was approved for the purchase of 46 parking meter mechanisms and housings from a New Hampshire company, Municipal Supply Sales, Inc. for Sunrise Plaza.
-Village attorney Michael T. Hopkins was authorized to "execute a stipulation of discontinuance of the action in Federal Court without prejudice in regards to Konrad v. Valley Stream." Mr. Konrad had filed suit regarding certain property and this is a settlement of that matter.
-The trustees approved the sum of $1,812 as annual dues to continue the village's membership in the Town Village Aircraft Safety & Noise Abatement Committee, also known as TVASNAC, from June 1, 2000 to May 31, 2001.
-The fleet manager was authorized to dispose of two pieces of surplus and obsolete equipment: a Lawn Boy Walk Behind mower and a Toro Groundsmaster.
Public Comment
John Riconda, a resident of the Arlington Park area of western Valley Stream, asked whether the village planned to take any "noise abatement measures" at Arlington Park. he also wanted to know the hours which residents could use the park, and what steps would be taken to make sure only Valley Stream residents were using the park. He also thanked the mayor for all his efforts in relocating the intended site of the new Valley Stream Roller Hoskey Rink. Plans originally called for Arlington Park to be the new home of the rink, but protest from the neighbors there caused it to be relocated.
The new village hockey rink celebrated its grand opening on Sunrise Highway at the LIRR station on Saturday morning, September 9.
Madeline G. Swarckof complained that both the county and the village have been neglectful in not clearing away an accumulation of mounds of dirt from Foster's Brook culverts beneath Mill Road. "I think this is a serious and dangerous condition," Ms. Swarckof told the trustees. The long-time resident complained that she has heard nothing constructive from the county on this property's reclamation, and that the village, she said, hasn't been helpful either.
Though a county matter, Mayor Cahill informed the Herald on Saturday, September 9, that village employees will be instructed to remove branches and some debris posing a potential obstruction to the free flow of water through the culverts.
