Ann Mazze is a spunky 95-year-old woman who resides in Levittown — as she has for more than 50 years. However, an unexpected Nassau County mistake has put her in a financial bind. Pei-Sze Cheng reports.
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- Ann Mazze is a spunky 95-year-old woman who resides in Levittown -- as she has for more than 50 years. However, an unexpected Nassau County mistake has put her in a financial bind.
- Recently, the Nassau County Department of Assessment mistakenly reported that Mazze had died, causing her to lose her Enhanced STAR for low-income seniors, her military tax exemption, and many other exemptions that help to ease her tax burden.
- This problem translates to Mazze paying $800 more a month, with the latest tax bill clearing her mortgage escrow.
Ann Mazze is a spunky 95-year-old woman who resides in Levittown -- as she has for more than 50 years. However, an unexpected Nassau County mistake has put her in a financial bind.
Recently, the Nassau County Department of Assessment mistakenly reported due to a clerical error that Mazze had died, causing her to lose her Enhanced STAR for low-income seniors, her military tax exemption, and many other exemptions that help to ease her tax burden. This problem translates to Mazze paying $800 more a month, with the latest tax bill clearing her mortgage escrow.
According to Nassau County Legislator John Ferretti, the changes to Mazze's taxes are quite significant -- to the tune of a nearly 300% increase. Whereas, her school taxes were $327.04 in 2020, they have jumped to $4,773.48 in 2021, according to Nassau County. The same staggering increase can be seen in her general taxes. Whereas, her general taxes last year were $2,367.10, her 2021 general taxes are $3,147.95.
Although the county says they will fix the issue, a legislative hearing on changing the assessment is required and that takes time: at least two weeks for a hearing and probably a month or longer to officially rectify the problem. After all is said and done, it will probably take two months before Mazze sees any of the money refunded and the bank stops charging her hundreds of extra dollars.
"I'm very sad, and very angry at all that has happened," Mazze said.
"We've been going through this since February. We've received a letter from the bank with this huge increase, calling people. She's upset. She's actually a cancer survivor from last year and we are very fortunate that she's well and we didn't need this added stress. It's just been really terrible," Mazze's daughter, Lori Goldman, said.
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Why Mazze was accidentally declared dead, however, was not immediately clear. Mazze says the assessor's office told her they "assumed" she was dead. Meanwhile, the county said it corrected the problem April 22. The legislature is expected to approve her refund next Monday when they meet. However, Mazze is afraid this could drag on for months.
"Do I look dead to you? I don't know how they came up with this conclusion," Mazze said. "I want this fixed. I want this fixed now so I can go on with my life!"
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County officials said their records didn't indicate that Mazze was dead, and they don't know why someone in the office would have told her that.
