Smithtown plan to pierce tax cap draws more pushback at hearing

Smithtown Supervisor Ed Wehrheim pitched his $149.4 million spending plan for next year, which pierces the state tax cap, while some residents objected to it during a hearing on Tuesday.

A vote on the budget is set to take place on Nov. 19, officials said. The town spending plan would exceed the state’s 2% tax cap for the second straight year.

The Smithtown Town Board held its hearing on the budget at the town's senior center. Another public hearing is scheduled for Nov. 12. 

The 2027 budget would see a 5.63% increase from last year’s $141.4 million spending plan, raising the tax levy by 5.87%. For the average assessed home in Smithtown, town taxes would rise by $117.65, or 6.44%. The increase, officials said, is required to maintain the town's workforce, services and operations.

Wehrheim said the increase was largely due to inflation and the rising cost of funding employees' healthcare and pension funds, which are set by the state and driven by factors outside the town's control.

Wehrheim noted that the town's tax levy increase is less than last year's, which was 10.7%.

"We have cut that tax increase almost in half from last year," Wehrheim said. "So we are working on lowering taxes to the level that we possibly can without cutting services."

If the town does not raise the levy beyond the cap, it will need to reduce staff, which would affect vital town services, he said.

"The only alternative is to ... cut personnel, which will in turn cut services," Wehrheim said.

Town officials played a video explaining the budget during the hearing. It highlighted that the town cut $300,000 by modernizing services such as the new Smart Pass program for beaches and parks. The program charges app users a $5 administrative fee per vehicle.

Some residents who spoke Tuesday objected to the planned tax increase.

Laurie Weitz, of Kings Park, said the proposal lacked key details, including department stats, head count trends or "any information on how things are run." Weitz said the town should consider cutting down on overtime. 

Randy Weiner, of Smithtown, also objected to the plan.

"This will make the lives of everybody in Smithtown harder, and people will remember that the next time your names appear on ballots," Weiner said.

Irwin Izen, of Commack, said he had not heard "what efforts were made for a zero-balanced budget."

He suggested that the town merge departments and apply reserves to offset rising expenses.

"The narrative has got to change. The taxpayers here deserve better," Izen said. "You've got to stop increasing the taxes. You've got to use innovation, creation, a different mindset."

Robert Ansbach, of Kings Park, said the town had done a good job in upgrading parks. "Every dollar spent improving our fields is an investment in our children, their future and the strength of our community," he said.