The town supervisors of East Hampton and Southampton have introduced their respective 2024 budgets, with both leaders emphasizing adherence to the state’s tax cap while addressing inflation pressures and bolstering public safety.
In his last budget presentation before stepping down, East Hampton Supervisor Peter Van Scoyoc proposed a budget of $95.4 million. Similarly, due to term limits, outgoing Southampton Supervisor Jay Schneiderman has presented a budget of $122.1 million. Both leaders have highlighted the continuation of town services and programs in their budget propositions.
Southampton’s budget, reflecting a 5.11% increment from 2023, includes a 1.04% tax rate hike. Consequently, an average homeowner would face an approximate $14.30 rise in town taxes. Schneiderman indicated that the ongoing inflation challenges have necessitated the adjustments. During a recent meeting, he elaborated, “We’ve enhanced wages to ensure we can attract and retain talent and enable our employees to afford to live in our community.”
A notable inclusion in Southampton’s budget is the provision for four new police officers and another bay constable. Police Chief James Kiernan has specified that two officers will fill supervisory roles to bridge the current patrol supervision gaps. The other two will focus on traffic monitoring in response to local grievances. The police department’s funding would also get a $1.6 million boost, which includes half a million for upgrading their headquarters. Public consultations on this budget are set for October 24 and November 14.
Meanwhile, East Hampton’s budget proposes a 5.25% tax surge. This comprises a 1.6% tax rate augmentation for residents outside East Hampton Village and a 7.99% spike for those within. Consequently, homeowners outside and within the village would experience tax hikes of about $21.29 and $40.13, respectively.
Budget Officer Rebecca Hansen highlighted the town’s challenge in hiring and maintaining staff during a town meeting. She noted that over 60% of the proposed budget caters to salaries and benefits, including promotions for 13 municipal employees.
Highlighting potential adjustments, Councilwoman Kathee Burke-Gonzalez pointed to the rising food costs faced by the Montauk Senior Nutrition Center, suggesting an additional $10,000 be added to their budget. Van Scoyoc expressed support for the amendment. Furthermore, the budget draft allots nearly $820,000 for various community groups – a significant increment from the previous year. Additionally, a supervisorial role would be added in the Ordinance Enforcement Department.
Following discussions, East Hampton is gearing up for a public hearing on November 2, while both towns are poised to finalize their budgets by November 20.
