Dem Candidate John Rossi Writes to Newsday About GOP Gimmick

Sorry, it's not freezing taxes

Newsday is right to admonish the Nassau County legislators' seeking a five-year freeze on property assessments ["Nassau GOP brain-fade," Editorial, July 3]. The most important part of this topic is the "tax rate" - computed by dividing "the total amount of money to be raised with taxes" by the assessed value of the jurisdiction.

Freezing the assessment only addresses one part of this formula. My concern is that many residents will believe that "freezing assessment" translates into freezing taxes.

These headlines, coupled with the legislative mailings we all receive in our homes, have the potential to confuse and move the public dialogue away from the really important component of the formula - "the total amount of money to be raised with taxes."

John Rossi

Editor's note: The writer is a candidate for Nassau County's 13th Legislative District.

North Merrick