'I'm A Widow, Working Two Jobs': Residents Cry Out Over Proposed Southold Tax Hike

SOUTHOLD, NY — A small number of residents turned out for Wednesday's 2017 budget hearings in Southold, but those who did had questions about a 7.63 percent tax rate increase they say will leave them strapped.

Southold Town Supervisor Scott Russell also dedicated office hours last week to discuss the preliminary $44.1 million budget with residents.

Mary Lou Palmer of Laurel said she has her own budget, which she needs to balance to pay her taxes.

"I'm upset," Palmer said. "I'm a widow, working two jobs to keep my house."

Palmer, who lives on the water, pays her taxes, she said, and added that her creek needs dredging, as that hasn't been done in approximately 23 years.

"I just don't understand the deficit. I move Peter to pay Paul, and sometimes I can't eat what I want to eat. I eat spaghetti for three nights, but I pay my bills. Do you know what this seven percent is going to do to my budget?"

Russell said the impact of the tax rate increase will equate to $135 per home.

He added that the budget is whole, and the increase in spending is meant for critically needed roadwork, due to two recent bad winters, as well as a substantial increase in medical costs.

"A hundred dollars is a lot of money for me," she said.

Russell said that creek would actually fall under Riverhead Town's jurisdiction, and Councilwoman Jill Doherty said the town trustees give Suffolk County a dredging wish list, and she'd be happy to discuss the dredging issue with her further at another time.

Kathleen Knapp asked if the town board would be taking into consideration all the senior citizens the 7.6 percent increase would affect. Young people are not living in the area because they can't afford to do so. "Senior citizens have to make adjustments or, God forbid, move in with their children," she said.

Councilman Bob Ghosio said his father lives with his family.

Russell said he agreed. "Every year we are tight with the budget and keep increases to a minimum, and have no problems complying, year after year." This year, however, the town was confronted with a unique set of circumstances, and two winters that have "decimated" the town's infrastructure.

While the number one reason for calls in his office from residents was once regarding deer-related issues, now, Russell said, it's the condition of the roads — a significant safety issue.

Cutchogue resident Patricia Cato attended with her son, Joseph.

Cato said she is also a widow. "What are you going to give me, with this increase?" she asked. She said she works full time and raced home to attend the hearing; her son drove her because she does not like to drive at night.

"You are forcing baby boomers and millennials out of her; we won't be able to stay," she said. "Fortunately, my son lives with me, so he can help me — he can't afford his own apartment."

Her son, she added, was living with her so they can keep their family home for future generations. "But what do I get? I have to watch my budget. What are you going to help us with?"

Russell said the increase in the budget was just in the town's portion. "It's hard," he agreed.

"It's tough," Doherty said. "I'm in a house by myself, as well, and I have four different jobs. It's hard to live here." But, she added, Russell and the town comptroller "did a wonderful job, holding the line on almost every item. We have medical expenses that go up and we don't have a choice with that."

Even without the road repairs, the town board would still be raising taxes to pay for medical costs, she said. "It's very difficult but we've tried to keep it down as much as we can."

"What if my son decides to leave? What do I do?" Cato asked.

Ghosio said it's never easy when the board has to start talking about the prospect of raising taxes. "I pride myself on being a fiscal conservative. This doesn't make me happy, either."

But, Ghosio added, the board has had "a great eye and done whatever it could to keep taxes down. "Everyone here went through the budget line by line. We got into debates in Town Hall with department heads, trying to pare off as much as possible." However, the board is faced with "increases in health are and insurance that defy imagination, increases I've never seen before in my career, and it's occurring on the municipal level, as well."

Members of the public asked if any one-time exemptions might be available.

Russell said there are senior citizen and income threshold exemptions but real property tax is governed by New York State and the town doesn't have the legal jurisdiction to create town exemptions.

"I know this is very difficult. I really do," he said.

"Getting older is not all it's cracked up to be," Cato said.

Russell reminded that the roads are a "a real safety issue. We have real obligations here."

Joe Cato, Patricia's son, said he did not believe enough was allocated to infrastructure repairs, from the proposed increase. "Less than $4 million is going to infrastructure costs," he said. He also asked for "transparency", and asked if the town had chosen the lowest cost health care provider.

Cato said $135 is a lot, and he's trying to work in the wine industry and wants to stay in town. The amount, he said, "seems pretty drastic," compared to last year.

Councilman Jim Dinizio said the town board has been trying to grapple with the issue of road repair and said using a lesser grade of materials won't help the roads to last 20 years. Instead, the board has opted to spend $1 million, rather than $300,000, to provide for a 20-year lifespan of the roads.

"Like the lady said, you can cut back and eat spaghetti but if you eat spaghetti all your life, it's not good for you," Dinizio said, adding that you "can't put junk" onto the town roads. "We have to commit to roads that are good and in the end it will help us, further down the road."

"There are things in the budget that I don't think we need but it's all a compromise," Dinizio said, adding that some items, such as the road repairs and upgrades to the police department's communication equipment, are necessary.

He added that the $1 million is what's needed for the increase in infrastructure repair costs.

As for transparency in health care costs, Dinizio said the town went to a different carrier two years ago but this year, the increase equals a cost of about $300,000.

The town used to be self-insured before it went to the New York State Health Insurance Program's Empire Plan, Russell said.

Realizing that town couldn't "carry this burden" alone anymore, Russell said employees are now required to give a five percent contribution, and the town is currently renegotiating that number.

Also, the town "stood firm" in the hiring of new police officers, with a 15 percent contribution required of new hires. While the savings aren't immediate, they should be evident over the course of a few years," he said. "That's probably the best way to mitigate those increases."

Robert Dunn of Peconic told the audience that he thinks the board did a good job. "These guys are about as cheap you'll get. Don't fault them on the budget. They went through some worrying to get here," he said.

Councilman Bill Ruland, at the earlier of the two budget hearings at 4 p.m, said Southold Town "is not immune" to the escalating costs statewide. He pointed out that the town has worked hard to keep "fiscally healthy" and has "maintained a stellar fund balance."

He commended Russell for his efforts in developing the budget. "I think this budget is a really good indication of how we're on the right track, and going in the right direction," Ruland said.

The board will vote on whether or not to adopt the budget on Nov. 15.