Proposed taxes reduced: Cuts found in original 10.2% raise

There’s some good news on the horizon for Island taxpayers who had worries about a projected 10.2% tax hike in the initial 2025 Town spending plan.

But as of this week, the draft was showing an 8% hike, and there was optimism that it could be at 7% by the time budget workshops at Town Hall wrap up this week.

Those who follow the process know a first draft is not a stopping place. Still, when Supervisor Amber Brach-Williams said the 10.2% projected hike in her draft — the highest among the eight municipalities in Suffolk County that expect to  go beyond the state-imposed tax cap — many thought they wouldn’t see much, if any, movement.

During the first few workshop sessions conducted by the Town Board, a few expenditures came down while others increased. Then late last week, the supervisor announced the 2.2% drop in the tax hike. “Barbara was the hero,” Ms. Brach-Williams told the Town Board, referring to administrative assistant Barbara Bloom.

Ms. Bloom, who traditionally tracks costs, pored through the lengthy document and found savings in health insurance costs. She found places where miscalculations had been made. Among them was overestimating the cost of health insurance premiums paid by the Town.

Employees pay a percentage of their salaries for coverage, but the numbers in the original draft listed totals for the full premiums without deducting the payments employees make for health insurance based on projected raises they will receive in 2025.

With the correction on the Town’s cost of health insurance premiums plugged in, it reduced the tax bite by 1.7%. The rest of the cuts were small but added together resulted in the new draft to show an 8% anticipated tax increase.

Another $25,000 in increased revenues from the Building Department surfaced. There were other smaller spending costs and with increases in some revenue expectations, the new budget draft showed an 8% increase in taxes.

The ensuing discussion hinted at efforts to knock 8% down by another 1% and if that is successful, the addition in taxes would be 7%.

Another discussion ensued about Town Board salaries. Councilman Albert Dickson has been adamant about not taking a salary increase. Councilman Benjamin Dyett has joined him. While all agreed the savings wouldn’t have much of an impact on the spending plan, Mr. Dyett said it was “symbolic.”

What concerned the supervisor was a conversation she had with leaders of the Democratic and Republican parties appealing for higher salaries to make working in government more accessible to younger residents. The political leaders acknowledged it’s difficult finding candidates to run for office.

This year, Town Board members earn $45,030 and are projected to receive $46,700 in 2025. Deputy Supervisor Meg Larsen receives an additional $6,427 for the added work her role requires. Ms. Brach-Williams receives $100,662 and is projected to receive $104,400 in 2025.

“I  think we bite the bullet. We’ve done so in the past,” Mr. Dyett said about raises. For the moment the two women plan on taking the projected raises and Mr. Dickson and Mr. Dyett were told they could donate the added money back to the Town.

Tuesday morning, Town Engineer Joe Finora was on hand to talk about payments to the United States Geological Survey, which provides monthly readings of water quantity in test wells. Mr. Finora explained that some of the increased cost is borne by the federal government. The Town’s share was manageable.

Mr. Finora also took time to discuss the Suffolk County mandate for the Town to provide public water in Town buildings. The mandate is about disinfecting the systems at Town Hall and Police Headquarters from bacteria. But bacteria is not a problem in either building, Mr. Finora said. Nonetheless, the County has determined the water in those buildings is not in compliance with necessary standards.

As long as the Town is seeking a solution, the County has allowed time for action to be taken. There are alternatives being explored to bring the water in those buildings into compliance. But that won’t be allowed forever and none of the choices come at a low cost.

The Town has some grant money originally targeted at septic systems, but it could be used for the water problem instead. The supervisor asked Mr. Finora to seek an extension from the Health Department. 

A familiar scenario was played out Tuesday morning over why the Town pays the Shelter Island Historical Society (SIHS) $15,000. No one was calling for canceling that expenditure, but Mr. Dyett asked what specific service the Historical Society performs for the Town.

He said clearly the SIHS is valuable to the community, but that’s different from a specific service rendered to the Town. If it’s a contribution, why isn’t a similar contribution made to Mashomack Preserve or Sylvester Manor, Mr. Dyett asked.

The Town Board must complete its work on Thursday, Oct. 24, in order to get a legal advertisement into the Reporter by Friday morning to schedule a public hearing on the budget proposal. The public can comment and could be successful in getting the Town Board to change items in its spending plan.

But only the Town Board votes to adopt a budget which must be done by late November.