The various reassessments of our homes over the past year and one-half have been done in a manner hardly conducive to fostering confidence in the professional expertise and integrity of the procedures.

In August 2002, I was shocked to learn that my property was reassessed at a figure well above the sales price of any house in our development which had not been expanded substantially, and my home had not been expanded at all.

In April 2003, the attorney we retained to contest the assessment notified us we had a new assessment 20 percent higher than the one we were protesting. On my appeal this was reduced by three percent.

Less than eight months later in November we received notice that our assessment was raised an additional 10 percent above the April assessment.

There is only one house in our development which sold even close to my new assessment and that house was expanded and improved with two additional bedrooms, a swimming pool, enclosed porch, etc., etc.

In addition, my home backs up onto Port Washington Blvd., which is definitely a detriment to its desirability and market value. The "comparables" the assessors claim to have used sold well below my new assessment.

To add insult to injury, we were given 11 days from the date I received this notice to seek informal review.

What kind of "expertise" bounces market values about so substantially in such short periods and where is the compassion and consideration for the taxpayer who is given 11 days from receipt of the shocking news to file for review?

Maurice H. Goetz