Southampton Town approves 10.5% tax levy increase, exceeding state cap

Southampton Town on Tuesday adopted a $155.1 million budget for 2027 that will raise the town's tax levy by 10.5%, exceeding the state cap.

The budget, which boosts spending by nearly 8.2%, contains funding for infrastructure and municipal facilities, as well as 16 new positions. Town board members amended Supervisor Maria Moore's initial proposal, adding five jobs and funding for capital improvements.

The town will collect $105.4 million through property taxes next year, up 10.5% over 2026. The board voted to override the state cap, which generally limits tax levy increases to 2%. An earlier proposal called for a 9% tax levy increase.

For a home with a market value of roughly $1.65 million in Southampton Town, the budget will increase annual town tax bills by about $159, officials said. 

The five new jobs, approved unanimously by the four council members at the board's Oct. 27 meeting, include a park ranger, two police officers, a fire marshal and code enforcement officer.

Councilwoman Cyndi McNamara introduced the new park ranger position, which would help monitor restrictions on agricultural properties and other town-owned open space. Southampton owns more than 4,000 acres of open space and 1,000 acres of parks, marinas and other facilities, she said.

"It is long overdue that these properties have dedicated oversight and enforcement," McNamara said in a statement. "Protecting our town’s open space is equally important as acquiring it."

The town added $125,000 for radio communications upgrades, $500,000 in capital borrowing for new athletic facilities at Speonk Park and $200,000 for improvements to parking lots at Long Island Rail Road stations — half of which will be reimbursed by a state grant.

At an Oct. 27 hearing, Hampton Bays resident Amy Paradise noted the town was piercing the tax cap for a third year in a row.

"When you do your budget, are you thinking about the long-term expense of all of this?" she said. "Because we're going to eat this forever and our taxes keep going up."