School Board Approves State's Sandy Assessment Relief Act

The Lindenhurst School Board unanimously passed a tax break for residents that were affected by the wrath of Hurricane Sandy last October.

The measure, which came under the state's recently passed Sandy Assessment Relief Act, allows the board to offer a retroactive reduction in the assessment of a property for its owners who were impacted by the storm.

The measure passed by an 8-0 vote at the school board's Wednesday business meeting at the McKenna Administration Building.

"We’d be punishing our residents by not doing this," said Jacqueline Scrio, the district's assistant superintendent for business.

The newly adopted resolution allows residents that lost 10 percent or more of their property's value following the storm to earn back credits from taxes paid on the 2012-2013 school year.

The measure, according to district officials, is a one-time measure to help those affected by the storm's effects.

The district expects to have the refunds paid back by the state, similar to county and town measures also recently passed in the wake of the state legislature's act.

The village board recently passed a similar measure offering tax breaks to those whose property sustained 50 percent or more damage from the storm. Unlike the district, however, the village will not be refunded for its tax breaks.