Huntington Supervisor Ed Smyth states his case for piercing the tax cap

As Huntington Town officials prepare for budget workshops, Supervisor Ed Smyth said it would equal “fiscal suicide” for the town to pass a 2027 budget that doesn't pierce the tax cap.

The town board was set to vote on a resolution Aug. 11 that would allow the board to pass a tax-cap-busting budget, but it was tabled at the last minute so the board could see the impact of an alternative budget that's under the cap.

Smyth said he’s preparing such a draft budget at the request of his colleagues. He has asked his department heads to identify 16% of their budgets that, if cut, would have the least negative impact. He said that request was made to all 17 town departments, including the supervisor’s office.

Smyth, a Republican, said the draft budget will be made public and will show how devastating such a budget would be to the town. 

“It will show why failing to pierce the tax cap this year equals fiscal suicide for the Town of Huntington,” he told Newsday in a phone interview. “It’s a budget that is ignoring that operating expenses of the town are going up; there is no way to maintain services without piercing the tax cap, it’s mathematically impossible.”

State law caps the amount that local governments can increase tax collections annually. The town hasn't pierced the cap during Smyth's tenure as supervisor, which began in 2022.

The current budget is $245.3 million. Smyth said a $264.5 million budget — a 7.8% increase — would see the average homeowner pay about $25 a month more in their property tax bill.

Smyth needs to present a preliminary budget by Sept. 30. He said he will be holding public budget workshops with his board colleagues starting Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Town Hall, and again on Sept. 3. 

Citing the inflation factor

Inflationary costs, Smyth said, have made operating the town more expensive. If he were to stay within the state-mandated 2% cap, that would mean raising only $5 million for a budget that's about $250 million, he said.

The $5 million wouldn't cover the combined costs of paying for garbage collection, which is about $4 million, and labor agreements, which are $1.9 million, Smyth said.

He said a budget under the cap would first eliminate any unfilled budgeted positions, then reduce material expenses such as lumber, asphalt, fertilizer and fuel, and then look to raise fees. If that doesn’t work, it would mean layoffs for seasonal, part-time and full-time employees, in that order.

A 60% vote by the town board — 3 of 5 members, including Smyth — is needed to pass a budget that pierces the cap.

Board members react

Republican town board member Dave Bennardo said he would have to see what services might be cut. “I will have to see what a budget that comes under the tax cap might look like,” he wrote in an email.

Conservative board member Brooke Lupinacci said in a text that she doesn’t believe in a budget that pits the residents against the workforce: “Punishing Town employees with layoffs and hiking taxes on homeowners are both unreasonable options. We need to do better and it starts at the top.”

Republican board member Theresa Mari couldn't be reached for comment. 

Democratic board member Jen Hebert said every effort should be exhausted to keep cuts away from people and programs. She suggested cuts to nonessential line items, such as $300,000 for leaf bags given to residents in the fall.

She said she also thinks the resolution allowing elected and appointed officials to be eligible for retirement health benefits after six years of service and at 55 or older should be revoked. That was passed in December. Previously, officials had to work for 12 years and be at least 55 to be eligible.

“I’m willing to consider piercing the tax cap only after all other options have been explored and the public has been properly informed on the decisions that we’re making and why we’re making them,” she said.

By Deborah S. Morris

deborah.morris@newsday.comdsvmorris

Deborah Morris is a native Long Islander and covers the town of Huntington.