Suffolk voters approve a new tax for better water, sewer systems

Suffolk County residents Tuesday approved a sales tax hike next year for a project aimed at making water cleaner and upgrading sewer systems.

Late results from the Suffolk County Board of Elections after the polls closed showed broad support for the measure, Proposal 2, with overwhelming support in 1,067 districts. Three districts had yet to report results early Wednesday.

The proposal asked voters to raise sales taxes by an eighth of a percent to inject funding to the Water Quality Restoration Fund, which would remove nitrogen from ground and surface waters.

Revenues will be split between public sewer expansions and grants to help homeowners ditch their aging cesspools for more environmentally friendly septic systems that remove nitrogen from wastewater before it leaches into the water supply, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Environmentalists and economic leaders supported the proposition, saying it will simultaneously spur development and protect water quality.

"This is great news," said Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine. "Now we will have the resources to start replacing cesspools and septic [systems] that are polluting our groundwater. It is a monumental victory for Suffolk County’s environment."

Under the proposition, sales taxes will increase from 8.625% to 8.75%. That translates to about 12 cents on a $100 purchase or $1.25 on a $1,000 purchase, officials said.

The tax increase will take effect in March, according to Mike Martino, a spokesman for Romaine.

County officials estimated the fund will generate nearly $48 million in its first year, and nearly $3 billion over 50 years. Funds would be available to use for water quality projects in 2026, Martino said.

The ballot measure also sought to extend a drinking water protection program funded through an existing quarter-percent sales tax through 2060.

Excess nitrogen in groundwater and waterways fuels algae growth that can deplete oxygen, putting aquatic life at risk. There are an estimated 380,000 outdated septic systems in Suffolk County, according to the bill.

Group for the East End president Bob DeLuca said voters "spoke with overwhelming unity" on the need to invest in clean water.

"This was a great day for all Suffolk residents who enjoy our coastal waters and our Long Island way of life," DeLuca said.

Eric Alexander, executive director of Vision Long Island, saw the fund as a way to promote downtown revitalization.

"You can’t get growth in your downtown without sewers," Alexander said Tuesday.

The bill faced opposition from county legislators Leslie Kennedy (R-Nesconset) and Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga), who were against raising taxes.

A 21-member board of lawmakers, environmentalists and labor union representatives will be tasked with overseeing the fund and recommending projects. Its members must be approved by the Suffolk Legislature, but officials did not provide a timeline of when that could happen.