Residents blast proposed 6% tax increase in Babylon
Residents voiced concerns over the Town of Babylon’s proposed 2027 budget, which would raise taxes by nearly 6% and exceed the state tax cap for another year.
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Dozens of residents attended a Town of Babylon meeting to voice concerns about the proposed 2027 budget, which would pierce the tax cap again and raise taxes by almost 6%.
One resident questioned why the town could not make the same financial adjustments households are often forced to make.
“When things go wrong in our lives, we have to adjust our budgets...Why is our town not doing the very same thing for us?" they said.
Residents expressed frustration that the town would once again exceed the state’s 2% property tax cap.
“It seems like that property tax cap of 2% doesn't matter anymore. It's like, what's the sense of having a cap if you’re going to keep piercing it?” said Joseph Prevete of Deer Park.
The proposed increase would cost the average homeowner an additional $114. Kelley Jamieson of Babylon said rising taxes are already placing a strain on homeowners.
“I'm paying over $16,000 for taxes. No pool. And it's ridiculous...and now they want to raise it more,” Jamieson said.
Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer said rising costs have made it increasingly difficult to operate the town while remaining under the tax cap.
“All the things that people experience on the home front are experienced by us here at the town. So we've got to continue to balance that," Schaffer said. "It ends up forcing our staff to pierce the cap or reducing services that the residents have come to expect.”
Residents also criticized some of the proposed spending increases included in the budget. The proposal includes a 29% raise for the supervisor and a 13% raise for the tax receiver.
“How do they justify giving themselves such a raise at this time? You know, right now, when things are so everybody's so strapped for cash,” Prevete said.
Schaffer said those figures represent a ceiling and do not necessarily mean officials will receive the full amount. He also noted that he has averaged only a 1% raise annually during his last 12 years as supervisor.
No vote was taken on the budget during the meeting. Schaffer said the town board will spend the next couple of weeks reviewing public comments before making a final decision.
