ACTION ALERT: END ILLEGAL FEES IN NASSAU COUNTY
When it comes time to balance the budget, elected officials can cut costs, raise taxes, or steal from citizens. Nassau politicians have chosen to steal.
The use of fees to nickel-and-dime county residents is terrible policy. It hurts citizens and businesses who can’t afford to pay more for the same level of service. It doesn’t fix the county’s budget problems – and worse, it’s against the law.
Nassau County lawmakers must put an end to this failed practice and focus on meaningful reform to get the county’s spending under control.
Here’s what you need to know:
- Under New York State law, fees for services must reasonably relate to the cost of providing the service. Fees used to generate revenue or to offset the cost of general government functions are considered unauthorized taxes. They’re illegal.
- Nassau County’s budget is in crisis. As a temporary fix, county politicians are using unlawful fees as an attempt to cover up their bad budgeting.
- Year after year, Nassau County’s own budget documents show revenue from fees fall short of projections. Budget gaps remain a problem. Not only are they illegal, but they don’t work.
Here’s what you can do:
1. Call and email your county legislator and tell them you support ending illegal fees in Nassau County. Find your legislator here.
2. Make your voice heard at a public meeting of the Nassau County Legislature:
Monday, October 16, 2017
1:00 PM
Nassau County Legislature
Theodore Roosevelt Building
1550 Franklin Ave.
Mineola, NY 11501
3. Sign up below to tell the Nassau County Legislature that you oppose illegal fee increases.
Make your voice heard!