First off, the good news.
Republicans in the Suffolk County Legislature banded together to stop a proposal by Democrats to increase Suffolk County’s sales tax to 8.75% (which would be one of the highest in the nation) for the supposed purpose of building new sewers that would increase the sales tax.
This was the correct decision because, even if you want new sewers, which we think is meritorious, we should be able to build them with reserves already existing in the county budget, or by reconfiguring the existing quarter-cent sales tax program without having to resort to a tax increase. The present formula of the existing clean water act can be revamped to allow the environmental and open space funds to include sewer and cesspool improvements.
But here’s the bad news.
The Republican majority leader is putting out signals that he will be willing to increase the sales tax if tweaks are made to the present legislation.
He and the other Republicans are correct in wanting new sewers, but they are dead wrong in thinking it’s acceptable to increase the sales tax to fund it. Let’s not forget that approximately $200 million in the sewer fund was raided by the county executive to pay for general fund items, only to promise to repay the money. That promise was reneged upon and now there is an attempt by the Democrats to raise the sales tax to replenish the fund that they raided.
Had the sewer program put in place by the prior administration been pursued, over $200 million in sewer construction would have transpired over the past decade.
On top of this, Suffolk County is sitting on over $700 million in grants and excess revenues that came in as a result of Covid aid from the feds.
Some of the more liberal spenders in the legislature, and that includes some Republicans, would rather increase your sales tax to pay for sewers rather than use this money in reserves. The reason is that they want that money to go towards salary increases and hiring more people within the county government.
This is why unions have been pushing for the sales tax referendum. You would think it odd that unions are getting involved in a so-called environmental issue. But it’s all about the Benjamins. By increasing your sales tax and making you pay more every time you make a purchase, they can keep the reserve monies for greater salaries, perks, and benefits.
We get it why liberal Democrats are supporting this, but why would Republicans? So far, the Republicans have held tough, but will they wilt and wind up supporting the increase anyway in January? Time will tell.