Real Estate Practitioners Institute


	Tax Assessment & Certiorari in Nassau County On March 22, 2002, the Real Estate 'Practitioner's Institute of Long Island and the Association for a Better Long Island assembled a blue-ribbon panel of experts for a publicly attended symposium to discuss real estate taxation in Nassau County. Nassau County Comptroller Howard Weitzman analyzed the current fiscal problems faced by the County and how the current real estate taxation mechanism, coupled with the County's systemic structural fiscal deficit, exacerbates the problems. The former Chief Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals, the Honorable Sol Wachtler, and the Honorable G. Oliver Koppell, former New York State Attorney General, provided an informative and thought-provoking legislative and judicial history of the establishment of real estate assessment in New York, and how Nassau has (or has not) complied. Attorney Donald Leistman and Appraiser Stephen Deutsch then analyzed in some detail the valuation process currently employed in the County, the mechanism by which tax rates are derived and the methodologies traditionally employed to establish assessed value. Attorney Thomas Zampino compared and contrasted Nassau's procedures with those employed by the City of New York. READ MORE

	Island of Change The Real Estate Practitioner's Institute of Long Island and the Association for a Better Long Island (A.B.L.I.) Spring 2003 public symposium reviewed the effects of historical development practices, growth pressures, and planning impediments influencing certain quality-of-life issues on Long Island. The symposium focused on: 1) inadequate market rate and affordable housing; 2) limitations Inherent in the Island's transportation and energy infrastructure; 3) developing State legislation to thwart regulatory inaction that impedes private investment in brownfield redevelopment; and 4) changing the culture of local government. Recognized for their leadership in the areas of their expertise, the speakers were: Michael Dubb, president of the Beechwood Organization; Jim Morgo, CEO of the Long Island Housing Partnership; Robert Carlino, Executive Director of the Long Island Contractors Association; Neil Shdell, Founding President of Pan Gulf's Energy & Consulting Group; Jim Rigano, Environmental Attorney at Certilman, Balin, Adler, & Hyman; and Brookhaven Town Planning Commissioner Dan Gulizio. Moderated by former Suffolk County Executive John Klein, Esq., of Meyer, Suozzi, English & Klein, the symposium sought [by the interdisciplinary collaboration of the speakers] to educate the public, and in doing so, bring forth solutions to resolve the issues arising from the changes taking place on Long Island. READ MORE

	Forecast 2004 The Fall 2003 Symposium provided a real estate forecast for the marketplace on Long Island.Utilizing three panels of speakers, the Symposium focused on: 1) values in the four cornerstones of the real estate marketplace: Office, Industrial, Retail and Residential; 2) Appraisals, SEQRA and Brownfields; and 3) Green Buildings, Title Insurance and an Economic Forecast. Recognized for their leadership in the areas of their expertise, the speakers on the first panel were Philip Wachtler of the Tilles Organization, Jack O'Connor of CB Richard Ellis Real Estate Services, Thomas Caputo of Ihmco Realty Corporation, and Henry C. Schreiber, Jr. of Henron Development Corporation. Anthony Iaccio of Goodman-Marks Associates Inc., Herbert M. Balin, Esq. of Certilman, Balin, Adler & Hyman, P.C., and Kevin S. Law, Esq. of Nixon Peabody constituted the second panel. Russell Albanese of the Albanese Development Corporation, Vincent J. Ferro, Esq. and John T. Kania, Esq. of First American Title Insurance Company of NY, and Martin R. Cantor, CPA, M.A., Economic Development Consultant, teamed together as the final group of speakers. Moderated by Charles V Zehren, the Daily Business Editor of Newsday, the Symposium presented a broad cross-section of professional opinion, updates and forecasts for the well-being of Long Island's real property against a backdrop of an improving national economy. READ MORE

	Tax Incentives for Economic Development At the close of 2004, the Real Estate Practitioner's Institute of Long Island (REPI) and the Association for a Better Long Island (ABLI) assembled two panels of recognized experts for a publicly attended symposium to highlight readily available tax incentives proven to promote economic development on Long Island. Kathy Giamo, Chairperson of REPI, introduced and directed the format of this Symposium. Dr. David Steinberg, President of Long Island University, provided the host venue on the C.W. Post campus in Brookville, NY with the invited expert discussion cordially hosted by Charles V. Zehren, Deputy Business Editor of Newsday. In overview, Scott Rechler, President & CEO of Reckson Associates Realty Corp. provided Symposium attendees with an in-depth market perspective from Reckson's growing presence throughout the Tri-State Area. He described exactly how Long Island is no longer relying upon its historical status as a one-industry economy. Scott portends a future where Long Island's business leaders will transition themselves into an integral and vibrant part of the larger surrounding 'regional economy'. He clearly elucidated the Island's competitive advantages relative to other nearby markets such as Manhattan, northern New Jersey, White Plains, and Stamford and Scott suggested effective smart growth initiatives to attract and retain thriving businesses. Further, he also underscored the need to establish a recognizable downtown on Long Island to resist suburban sprawl, and in so doing, hopefully curtail the 'brain drain' occurring as segments of the Island's younger resident population, particularly as many as 20% of its 18-34 year olds, as well as its elder retiree resources, emigrate. Other symposia presenters were Sheldon L. Cohen, the first Director of the newly-created Nassau County Real Estate Planning & Development Department, Kevin Law, Esq., the new Chief Deputy of Suffolk County Office of the County Executive, Bob Wieboldt, Senior Vice President of the Long Island Builder's Institute, Donald Leistman, Esq., Sr. Partner, Koeppel, Martone & Leistman LLC, and Allan Hyrnan, Esq., Sr. Partner, Certilman, Balin Adler & Hyman, LLC. READ MORE

	Tax Incentives for Economic Development On November 10, 2005, the Real Estate Practitioner's Institute (REPI) assembled at C.W. Post campus of Long Island University for the fifth annual symposium. A panel of prominent real estate leaders met to publicly discuss development trends, problems, solutions, and lessons learned regarding evolving land use practices on Long Island. The meeting attracted a broad spectrum of well over 150 regionally active residential, commercial, and corporate real estate professionals with media coverage picked up by both Newsday and the New York Times. Kathleen M. Camilli, founder and principal of Camilli Economics, LLC, served as the Keynote speaker. Kathleen is one of the nation's leading economic forecasters. She provides remarkably astute analysis of the workings of the U.S. economy and its financial markets and is renowned for her consistently accurate forecasting abilities. She receives top ranking from such objective performance raters as The Wall Street Journal (presently one of its top five economic forecasters), Business Week (its number one performing forecaster), and Institutional Investor. This Land Use Symposium showcased Messrs. Jan Burman, President, Engel-Burman Group, Herbert Agin, CEO, Sutton & Edwards, Thomas Sullivan, Senior Real Estate Manager, Northrup-Grumman Corp., Donald Eversoll, President, Eversoll Associates, and Daniel Gulizio, Land-Use Consultant, Professor of Government & Planning at Dowling College and Deputy Planning Commissioner for Nassau County. READ MORE