In Huntington, a tax to bump up road quality could be coming
Altamore Street in Melville, which hasn't been repaved since the 1990s, according to Town of Huntington officials.
Credit: Rick Kopstein
Huntington's town supervisor is considering if a new tax is the way to finance more road repaving, but said he'd look for public feedback before implementing such a measure.
“Right now it’s just an idea that we are gauging support on,” Supervisor Ed Smyth, who is in the second year of a four-year term, told Newsday.
The Republican said he may propose a tax hike of about $138 a year for the average household, with a stand-alone line item on residents' property tax bills specifically for funding repaving projects.
Smyth added that he would put his idea on the ballot as a referendum before taking any action.
For 2023, about $6 million is in the town budget for paving work on Huntington's 900 miles of roadway. The supervisor said that even with the state kicking in varying amounts each year, town officials still are $10 million short on funding for completing a goal he and Highway Superintendent Andre Sorrentino set of having 87 miles repaved annually.
It costs $200,000 to repave one mile of roadway, according to Smyth. Huntington officials said the town currently repaves from 22 to 35 miles of road each year.
Town roads generally are repaved about every 35 years, with roads with heavier traffic repaved more often. If a new tax line was approved it would reduce that schedule to every 10 years, Smyth said.
Karen Silvestri, 59, a resident of Altamore Street in Melville — which town officials said hasn't been repaved since the 1990s — said she wouldn't support an additional tax.
“I get what they are saying, but we don’t need more taxes,” said Silvestri, an elementary school teacher.
Town resident Roger Rofé, who has lived on Capel Drive in Dix Hills since 1995, said he's not sold on the idea of an increased tax even though he's very dissatisfied with the road quality. Town officials said Capel Drive also hasn't been repaved since the 1990s.
“I just question, would they end up diverting the money to other places?" said the Dix Hills homeowner, who declined to give his age.
Smyth said he’s aware of how high taxes are already, but said improved roads lead to better infrastructure and cleaner waterways.
“And there’s the practical quality of life of not having your car bouncing around every time you hit a pothole,” he added.
Huntington's town supervisor is considering if a new tax is the way to finance more road repaving, but said he'd look for public feedback before implementing such a measure.
“Right now it’s just an idea that we are gauging support on,” Supervisor Ed Smyth, who is in the second year of a four-year term, told Newsday.
The Republican said he may propose a tax hike of about $138 a year for the average household, with a stand-alone line item on residents' property tax bills specifically for funding repaving projects.
Smyth added that he would put his idea on the ballot as a referendum before taking any action.
For 2023, about $6 million is in the town budget for paving work on Huntington's 900 miles of roadway. The supervisor said that even with the state kicking in varying amounts each year, town officials still are $10 million short on funding for completing a goal he and Highway Superintendent Andre Sorrentino set of having 87 miles repaved annually.
It costs $200,000 to repave one mile of roadway, according to Smyth. Huntington officials said the town currently repaves from 22 to 35 miles of road each year.
Town roads generally are repaved about every 35 years, with roads with heavier traffic repaved more often. If a new tax line was approved it would reduce that schedule to every 10 years, Smyth said.
Karen Silvestri, 59, a resident of Altamore Street in Melville — which town officials said hasn't been repaved since the 1990s — said she wouldn't support an additional tax.
“I get what they are saying, but we don’t need more taxes,” said Silvestri, an elementary school teacher.
Town resident Roger Rofé, who has lived on Capel Drive in Dix Hills since 1995, said he's not sold on the idea of an increased tax even though he's very dissatisfied with the road quality. Town officials said Capel Drive also hasn't been repaved since the 1990s.
“I just question, would they end up diverting the money to other places?" said the Dix Hills homeowner, who declined to give his age.
Smyth said he’s aware of how high taxes are already, but said improved roads lead to better infrastructure and cleaner waterways.
“And there’s the practical quality of life of not having your car bouncing around every time you hit a pothole,” he added.