The Southampton Town Board adopted a $102.7 million budget for 2019 on November 20, bumping up spending by approximately $3 million, or roughly 3.3 percent, from the current year’s totals.
In a 4-1 vote, with only Councilwoman Christine Scalera dissenting, the Town Board approved its first-ever nine-digit spending plan, which includes proposed salary increases for town officials.
Ms. Scalera said on Monday that a couple of factors weighed into her voting against the budget—the main one being that the tax levy—the total amount collected via property taxes—is the highest it has been in a decade, even as the tax rate is set to decline in 2019. The town collected $53.2 million from taxpayers in 2009; in 2015, it levied $57.5 million; and in 2019, the town plans to levy $67.2 million.
“That’s a huge jump,” Ms. Scalera said. “To me, it’s not sustainable. It’s going to be a problem.”
The budget factors in a number of spending increases, including salary bumps for top officials.
Mr. Schneiderman is slated to receive $119,490 next year, compared to the $117,147 he made this year, a 2 percent increase, and all four Town Board members are expected to make $67,111 next year. Additionally, both Town Clerk Sundy Schermeyer and Highway Superintendent Alex Gregor will make $113,655.
The $102.7 million spending plan also supports numerous capital improvement projects across the town, including the redesign of the Ponquogue Beach Pavilion, the addition of permanent bathrooms at Good Ground Park, and the replacement of an aging heating and ventilation system at Town Hall, according to a press release by Southampton Town’s director of communications, Connie Conway.
Along with capital improvement projects, the budget also allows for the hiring of a full-time police officer, at a salary of $45,859; a Parks Department administrative assistant, at a salary of $57,512; a full-time assistant in the assessor’s office, who will start at $38,218 per year; and an assistant town engineer, who will earn a salary of $100,134.
However, even with the spending increase, the town’s tax rate is expected to decrease from $1.39 per $1,000 of assessed value to $1.38 per $1,000, a decrease of roughly 1 percent, according to Town Comptroller Leonard Marchese. Homeowners with homes assessed at $500,000 can expect to pay $690 in taxes next year—a $5 decrease from the current year.
Since the budget was first presented in October, Mr. Schneiderman has boasted that over the past three years, since he was elected supervisor, the town’s property tax rate has continued to decrease.
“I think we’re living within our means, and we have a town with growing needs and expectations,” Mr. Schneiderman said. “We have infrastructure to maintain and an environment to steward. I think this budget will allow the town to meet those expectations.”
Staff writer Greg Wehner contributed to this story.
Valerie Gordon on Nov 20, 2018