Almost As Many Ways To Pay As There Are School Districts
First, we want to thank -- we think -- all those who e-mailed over the weekend (more than 300 of you) regarding our endorsements of candidates for the November 3rd elections. [We didn't think you cared!]
Oddly, Republicans wrote to complain that we endorsed too many Democrats, while Democrats railed about us having endorsed any Republicans at all.
Good grief!
Interestingly, a few of the candidates themselves e-mailed The Community Alliance, some wondering why we hadn't reached out to them (aren't they supposed to reach out to the community?), and others requesting blogspace for the online equivalent of Op-Ed pieces. Write on!
As we have said, we welcome any and all views -- from the left, right, and smack dab in the center.
All candidates for elected office, as well as John and Jane Q. Public (remember them?), may submit Guest Blogposts by e-mailing us at thecommunityalliance@yahoo.com.
We love hearing from you, as do our readers. We only wish you had as much to say about substantive quality of life issues that impact upon the Long Island community, and would get half as worked up, as you do about our silly endorsements.
Gee. You would think people were actually listening to us, and taking what we have to say to heart. Hmmm. Then again, maybe they are.
And now, without further ado, back to your property taxes...
Check book in hand? Have a credit card handy? In your car and want to execute a drive-by payment?
The Town of Hempstead (which only collects the school taxes, they don't set the rates) is making it easy for you to pay up. [And "pay up" you'd better, lest Kate Murray be tempted to drive by your house and steal your Kristen McElroy for Supervisor lawn sign!]
Wouldn't it be wonderful if our elected officials were as creative and demonstrative in finding ways to cut our property taxes, as they are in thinking up new ways for we, the people, to pay those property taxes?
Yeah, right.
Anyway, word has it that the first 500 taxpayers to roll up to the Receiver of Taxes EZ-Pay Drive Thru Payment Window (say that ten times fast) will receive a FREE Kate Murray bumper sticker, autographed and numbered, a copy of Kate Murray's Tips for The Forlorn, along with a coupon for 10% off any order of $1000 or more at the Coliseum Deli. [Kate Murray doesn't make the deli sandwiches. She just collects them!]
Hurry on down, folks. These offers won't last. And your school taxes are most likely going up, even as we post this blog.
But wait! Pay your school taxes TODAY, and Don Clavin, Receiver of Taxes (doesn't he know its better to GIVE than to RECEIVE?) will throw in not one, but TWO school property tax bills per year. And that's not all... You'll also get two -- count 'em, two -- oversized County/Town tax bills, each suitable for breaking the bank (the Town DOES set Town tax rates, but hey, they won't own up to that).
And there's more! Because this is an election year, your Town taxes -- much like the Town itself -- have been frozen in time. Borrowing and bonding that you will pay and pay and pay for later? Of course. They wouldn't have it any other way.
Tax collectors are standing by...
From the Town of Hempstead:
Clavin Expands Options For Paying School Taxes
Receiver of Taxes Don Clavin reminds residents to take advantage of the convenient payment options his office offers as the November 10 deadline for paying the First Half School Taxes approaches. Residents may take advantage of extended office hours, satellite offices, the mobile tax office or the EZ-Pay Drive Thru Payment Window located behind the town receiver's office in Hempstead. Taxpayers also have the alternative to pay their property taxes by credit card or e-check, online or via telephone.
Payments for the First Half 2009/2010 School Taxes received or postmarked by the November 10 deadline will be penalty-free.
"Residents enjoy the convenience of paying their taxes in person from the comfort of their car at our EZ-Pay Drive Thru Payment Window. I would also like to remind taxpayers my office also accepts electronic payments via e-check and credit card," said Clavin.
The E-Z Pay Drive Thru Payment Window, located behind the tax office at 200 North Franklin Street (follow the signs on the corner of Bedell Street and North Franklin Street), will be open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., November 2, 4, 5, 6, 9 & 10. Only checks and money order payments can be accepted at the E-Z Pay Drive Thru Payment Window. Taxpayers must bring their tax stub in order to use this service.
Clavin has extended office hours during peak collection times at the main tax office located at 200 North Franklin Street in Hempstead. Hours of operation will be 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on November 2, 4, 5, 6, 9 and 10. "Our fully staffed main office can assist taxpayers with account inquiries and all forms of payment," Clavin noted.
Satellite offices at Rock Hall Museum (located at 199 Broadway in Lawrence) and Levittown Hall (located at 201 Levittown Parkway in Hicksville) will be open to receive checks and money orders for tax payments from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on November 4, 5, 6, 9 and 10.
Residents who would like to pay via credit card may log onto the town's website at www.TOH.LI and follow the Receiver of Taxes link to "Online Tax Payments," or call Official Payments Corporation toll-free at 1-877-306-6056. A 2.5 % convenience fee payable to Official Payments Corporation, the company that processes the credit card transaction, will be incurred for credit card payments. A flat fee of $2 will be charged for electronic check payments. Hempstead Town receives no portion of these fees.
The Mobile Tax Office is scheduled to visit the following locations from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.:
Monday, November 2- Merrick Senior Center, 2550 Clubhouse Road, Merrick
Wednesday, November 4- Town Parking Lot O-3, Davison Avenue, Oceanside (directly across from Oceanside Library)
Thursday, November 5- Elmont Memorial Library, 700 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont
Friday, November 6- Franklin Square Senior Center, 1182 Martha Pl., Franklin Square
"From offering residents varied payment options and E-mail reminders to supplying them with beneficial information that can help reduce their tax burden, Supervisor Murray and I are committed to assisting taxpayers in every possible manner," stated Clavin.
For further information visit the town's website at www.TOH.LI or contact the Office of Receiver of Taxes at (516) 538-1500.
If Clavin and Murray were really serious about helping taxpayers, why haven't they been out in front in terms of issues like consolidating special districts? The town could play a pivotal role streamlining municipal services, but has done absolutely nothing. As for school districts, there's been no leadership when it comes to even the simple stuff - like negotiating collective purchase agreements. Instead, it's far easier to play innocent and just blame our extraordinary tax burden on somebody else. When you look at how little Clavin and Murray have done, you realize that what they say is just a bunch of crap.
ReplyDeleteDitto to the last comment. We cannot vote for Kate Murray. She is a huge roadblock to consolidation.
ReplyDeleteKristen McElroy has stated she supports consolidation. In addition, she supports the Lighthouse. Why don't we give her a chance?
Why don't we consolidate all the Receiver of Taxes offices in Nassau County? Then, we wouldn't have to listen to Clavin insert himself in political debates where his opinion was not asked for nor valued.
ReplyDeleteSounds like a fine idea!
ReplyDelete