Islip Town Supervisor apologizes for remark on taxes

Islip Supervisor Angie Carpenter apologized publicly for a comment she made comparing the town’s tax increase for homeowners to “a couple of lattes at Starbucks.”

She issued the mea culpa during last Tuesday’s town board meeting after Bayport resident Tom Murray criticized her while speaking during the time allowing public comments.

The Town Board on Nov. 8 unanimously passed a $234.6 million 2019 budget that increased homeowners’ annual taxes by an average of $28.

Carpenter told News 12 Long Island earlier this month, the tax hike is akin to “a couple of lattes at Starbucks.”

While passing the budget, Carpenter and the board approved a 1.9 percent raise for the supervisor. Carpenter’s salary is now $106,337. Four council member received pay bumps of 1.2 percent making their pay slightly more than $80,000 for the part-time job.

Murray, who unsuccessfully ran for the New York State Assembly 7th District seat, said, “I do find it egregious that the board is increasing our taxes while also taking a raise. To use your own words, madam supervisor, it may just be just a few lattes to you, but to a lot of people in Islip, $28 a year, that can have an effect. . . . And a lot of people are upset that we’re being insulted while our taxes are being raised.”

Carpenter responded, “That comment that I made was probably not the best comment I’ve made. And, if it insulted anyone, I would like to take this opportunity right now to apologize. It certainly was not my intent. I was trying to make a comparison.”