5 East End towns vote to pierce tax cap, with some hiking elected officials' salaries
All five towns on the East End, including Shelter Island, pierced the state tax cap for 2025. Credit: Newsday/Steve Pfost
The five towns on Long Island's East End approved budgets that will pierce the state tax cap in 2025, as the municipalities struggled with the rising expense of employees' health care and pensions.
Southampton approved the highest tax levy hike, at 11%, while East Hampton is planning a 9.2% increase. Shelter Island and Riverhead approved tax levy increases of 7.8%; Southold approved a 7.48% increase.
Despite the tax increases, four of the five towns approved pay raises for elected officials. Riverhead scaled back its proposal amid public opposition; Southold was the lone East End town to refrain from increasing elected officials' salaries.
“Inflation has hit the towns as much as everyone’s household,” Southold Supervisor Al Krupski said at a town board meeting last month. “Every municipality is in the same boat, struggling to figure out how to provide those services to the community.”
In Riverhead, the town board approved a $73.5 million spending plan that hikes the tax levy by 7.89% — slightly less than the 7.92% increase that officials had pitched in September. That proposal would have increased the supervisor's salary $10,000, from $115,148 to $125,148 — by 8.7%
Instead, the supervisor's salary will rise $3,771 to $118,919 — a 3.2% raise. Town board members will also receive 3.2% increases, modeled after what town employees are due under their union contracts.
Salaries for town board members will rise from $48,955 to $50,558. Two town board members, Ken Rothwell and Joann Waski, told Newsday they would not take raises in 2025. Councilman Bob Kern declined to comment and Councilwoman Denise Merrifield did not respond to a request for comment.
In an interview, Waski acknowledged that raises for elected officials are “always unpopular” but said she may accept the raise in future years.
“Although it’s described as a part-time job, it is a full-time job and then some,” she said.
Other cost drivers in Riverhead’s budget include $400,000 for new police, fire marshal and buildings and grounds vehicles and $200,000 for new radios for law enforcement.
Taxes on a home valued at $720,000 would rise by about $288 next year, town financial administrator Jeanette DiPaola said.
Southold officials approved a $62.3 million budget for 2025 that boosts the tax levy by 7.48%.
The town board voted 6-0 to accept the budget that hikes spending 8.9%.
The budget includes $3.2 million in capital improvements from strengthening IT network security to stormwater mitigation, road paving and other projects.
Taxes on the averaged assessed Southold home would rise $168, from $2,450 to $2,618, according to town assessor Kevin Webster.
Salary increases for Southampton lawmakers also became a point of contention.
Southampton adopted a $133.9 million budget, a $10.7 million spending boost. Southampton last exceeded the tax cap in 2013 when it approved the following year's budget, a town official said.
Taxes on a home with a market value of $1 million, the average assessed value in Southampton, would rise $140, according to town projections.
The supervisor’s salary would rise from $143,193 to $149,773, and councilmembers' salaries would increase from $77,849 to $82,795.
Councilwoman Cyndi McNamara, the lone Republican on the board, voted against the budget. In a statement, McNamara criticized Supervisor Maria Moore for raising the salaries of elected board members and nonunion administrators.
Moore said union contracts will be negotiated next year, and then raises will go into effect.
The budget adds four new police officers and several other positions.
The East Hampton Town Board unanimously adopted its $103.9 million budget.
Overall, the budget boosts spending by $8.4 million, or 8.8%. The town pierced the 2% cap for the first time since the state tax cap law took effect in 2012. The tax levy will increase 9.2%.
The supervisor’s salary will rise from $137,158 to $142,644. The salary for councilmembers will increase from $86,505 to $89,965.
Taxes on a home in the unincorporated parts of town, with an average value of $1.1 million, will rise $104, according to the town’s projections.
On Shelter Island, the town board approved a $17.4 million budget that hikes spending $1.6 million.
The tax levy will rise 7.8%, slightly lower than an earlier projection of 8%. A home valued at $1 million will see an increase of $205 per year, Supervisor Amber Brach-Williams said.
The adopted budget lowered elected officials' pay hikes from 3.7% to 3%, bringing the supervisor’s salary to $103,700 and council members' to $46,400.
Town officials also dropped plans to purchase a $93,000 high-water rescue vehicle, half of which would have been covered by a grant.
Still, Councilman Benjamin Dyett Jr. described the final budget as a “hard pill to swallow” since much of the increase is driven by mandated costs.
The five towns on Long Island's East End approved budgets that will pierce the state tax cap in 2025, as the municipalities struggled with the rising expense of employees' health care and pensions.
Southampton approved the highest tax levy hike, at 11%, while East Hampton is planning a 9.2% increase. Shelter Island and Riverhead approved tax levy increases of 7.8%; Southold approved a 7.48% increase.
Despite the tax increases, four of the five towns approved pay raises for elected officials. Riverhead scaled back its proposal amid public opposition; Southold was the lone East End town to refrain from increasing elected officials' salaries.
“Inflation has hit the towns as much as everyone’s household,” Southold Supervisor Al Krupski said at a town board meeting last month. “Every municipality is in the same boat, struggling to figure out how to provide those services to the community.”
WHAT NEWSDAY FOUND
- All five towns on the East End approved property tax increases that exceed the state's cap.
- The tax levy hikes range from 7.48% in Southold to 11% in Southampton.
- Riverhead Town proposed a $10,000 raise for Supervisor Tim Hubbard, but reduced the hike to $3,771.
North Fork
In Riverhead, the town board approved a $73.5 million spending plan that hikes the tax levy by 7.89% — slightly less than the 7.92% increase that officials had pitched in September. That proposal would have increased the supervisor's salary $10,000, from $115,148 to $125,148 — by 8.7%
Instead, the supervisor's salary will rise $3,771 to $118,919 — a 3.2% raise. Town board members will also receive 3.2% increases, modeled after what town employees are due under their union contracts.
Salaries for town board members will rise from $48,955 to $50,558. Two town board members, Ken Rothwell and Joann Waski, told Newsday they would not take raises in 2025. Councilman Bob Kern declined to comment and Councilwoman Denise Merrifield did not respond to a request for comment.
In an interview, Waski acknowledged that raises for elected officials are “always unpopular” but said she may accept the raise in future years.
“Although it’s described as a part-time job, it is a full-time job and then some,” she said.
Other cost drivers in Riverhead’s budget include $400,000 for new police, fire marshal and buildings and grounds vehicles and $200,000 for new radios for law enforcement.
Taxes on a home valued at $720,000 would rise by about $288 next year, town financial administrator Jeanette DiPaola said.
Southold officials approved a $62.3 million budget for 2025 that boosts the tax levy by 7.48%.
The town board voted 6-0 to accept the budget that hikes spending 8.9%.
The budget includes $3.2 million in capital improvements from strengthening IT network security to stormwater mitigation, road paving and other projects.
Taxes on the averaged assessed Southold home would rise $168, from $2,450 to $2,618, according to town assessor Kevin Webster.
South Fork
Salary increases for Southampton lawmakers also became a point of contention.
Southampton adopted a $133.9 million budget, a $10.7 million spending boost. Southampton last exceeded the tax cap in 2013 when it approved the following year's budget, a town official said.
Taxes on a home with a market value of $1 million, the average assessed value in Southampton, would rise $140, according to town projections.
The supervisor’s salary would rise from $143,193 to $149,773, and councilmembers' salaries would increase from $77,849 to $82,795.
Councilwoman Cyndi McNamara, the lone Republican on the board, voted against the budget. In a statement, McNamara criticized Supervisor Maria Moore for raising the salaries of elected board members and nonunion administrators.
Moore said union contracts will be negotiated next year, and then raises will go into effect.
The budget adds four new police officers and several other positions.
The East Hampton Town Board unanimously adopted its $103.9 million budget.
Overall, the budget boosts spending by $8.4 million, or 8.8%. The town pierced the 2% cap for the first time since the state tax cap law took effect in 2012. The tax levy will increase 9.2%.
The supervisor’s salary will rise from $137,158 to $142,644. The salary for councilmembers will increase from $86,505 to $89,965.
Taxes on a home in the unincorporated parts of town, with an average value of $1.1 million, will rise $104, according to the town’s projections.
On Shelter Island, the town board approved a $17.4 million budget that hikes spending $1.6 million.
The tax levy will rise 7.8%, slightly lower than an earlier projection of 8%. A home valued at $1 million will see an increase of $205 per year, Supervisor Amber Brach-Williams said.
The adopted budget lowered elected officials' pay hikes from 3.7% to 3%, bringing the supervisor’s salary to $103,700 and council members' to $46,400.
Town officials also dropped plans to purchase a $93,000 high-water rescue vehicle, half of which would have been covered by a grant.
Still, Councilman Benjamin Dyett Jr. described the final budget as a “hard pill to swallow” since much of the increase is driven by mandated costs.
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Newsday Live Music Series: Long Island Idols Newsday Live presents a special evening of music and conversation with local singers who grabbed the national spotlight on shows like "The Voice," "America's Got Talent,""The X-Factor" and "American Idol." Newsday Senior Lifestyle Host Elisa DiStefano leads a discussion and audience Q&A as the singers discuss their TV experiences, careers and perform original songs.