Errant tax bills nearly corrected

Correction of Error petitions advanced

BY BRANDON DUFFY

Two tax bills for more than $1.1 million that were wrongly sent to the Notre Dame Parish in New Hyde Park are one step closer to getting corrected through the Nassau County Legislature.

The Legislature’s Finance and Rules Committee recently advanced Correction of Error petitions to pay back the $1,165,324.68 sent to the parish, which is tax-exempt, according to a press release from the county’s minority caucus.

Last winter, the parish was sent two diferent tax bills for its 2023 general taxes. The initial Nassau Assessment Department error led to a $16.7 million assessment on the property.

The Diocese of Rockville Centre, which owns the property, received the bill. State law exempts houses of worship, which are nonprofts, from property taxes.

Town of North Hempstead Receiver of Taxes Charles Berman, who was told of the error by the diocese, wrote at the time to acting County Assessor Matthew Croning that the county failed to apply a full property tax.

In November, Berman told Blank Slate Media the parish, located at 45 Mayfair Road, sold a single-family home on its property for $630,000, the amount the county should have removed the tax exemption for rather than using the value of the entire property.

County Legislator Debra Mulé (D–Freeport) said in a statement when the Legislature approves all corrections, the fnal bill will total more than $2.715 million.

“Once the corrections receive fnal approval from the full Legislature, the County will have paid out more than $2.715 million to fx specifc, avoidable tax bill mistakes,” she said.

In October 2022, the Minority Caucusidentifed 842 property ownerswho had been overcharged by a total of approximately $1.55 million because the fve-year phase-in of the 2020-2021 reassessment was not applied correctly to the impacted second-half school tax bills.

The church was incorrectly assessed $1.2M and the 842 property owners owed $1.55, which left Nassau County shelling out $2.75 million in taxes that were not due.

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Steven DiBiasi and his mother, Louise DiBiasi,” said husband and father Ralph DiBiasi and sister and aunt Carol Bertolotti.

“All of the funds collected will be used to fund scholarships for students graduating from high school and going on to college,” the statement continues.

Herricks Superintendent Tony Sinanis said the recent loss had a big effect on the community.

“The tragic, unexpected passing of Steven DiBiasi and subsequently his mother was something that really shook our community to the core,” Sinanis said during the Feb. 2 board of education meeting. “On behalf of the entire district and Board of Education, I want to express our condolences to the DiBiasi family. who are still grappling with that loss.”

The GoFundMe page, organized by Lawrence and Emily Wong, describes DiBiasi as passionate.

“He was an amazing friend, student, hockey player and unique individual,” the page said. “Steven gave his time and energy to special needs kids – his love for hockey was his passion and his way of spending time with others – such as coaching Bethpage special needs hockey team,” the page said.

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EDITORIAL:

Hyde Park Herald Courier: Brandon Duffy 516-307-1045 x215 • bduffy@theisland360.com

Manhasset Times: Robert Pelaez 516-307-1045 x203 • rpelaez@theisland360.com

Roslyn Times: Cameryn Oakes 516-307-1045 x214 • coakes@theisland360.com

Williston Times: Brandon Duffy 516-307-1045 x215 • bduffy@theisland360.com

Port Washington Times: Cameryn Oakes 516-307-1045 x214 • coakes@theisland360.com