By Hank Russell
The Town of East Hampton recently released its tentative budget for 2025, which contains a tax increase, spending hikes, salary increases, and funding for roads, among others.
The tentative budget calls for $103,722,303 in spending, up from the 2024 adopted budget of $95,463,306. This results in a proposed 7.72% tax increase for town residents (except those who live in the Villages of East Hampton and Sag Harbor). According to Town Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez, a house outside East Hampton Village and Sag Harbor with a market value of $1.14 million, that homeowner’s tax bill would go up by $104.28 next year.
As part of the contracts between the town and the municipal unions, most of the town employees will receive a 4% increase in their salaries. Those include members of the Civil Service Employees Association, the Police Benevolent Association, and the Superior Officers Association.
“As we face the challenges of a growing community, increasing salaries is essential not only to attract top talent but also to retain the dedicated employees who serve our residents every day,” Burke-Gonzalez added. “Our staff are more than just workers; they are our neighbors, friends, family members and integral members of our community. By investing appropriately in their compensation, we ensure that we can continue to provide the services that East Hampton residents deserve.”
Burke-Gonzalez said she is “anticipating double-digit increases” in employees’ health benefit costs — on top of a 14% increase this year — “along with increasing retirement contribution rates” to the retirement systems. Those who pay into the New York State Employee Retirement System now contribute 16.5%, up 8.5% from last year, while those paying into the New York State Police and Fire Retirement System are seeing an 8.3% jump, now contributing 33.7% from their paycheck. “[These] pose significant increases for our budget,” she said.
The tentative budget also calls for $1.025 million for road paving projects and another $170,000 for drainage projects and maintenance, as well as $1.1 million in additional funding for the town’s lifeguards, the creation of 10 new positions, the regrading of “dozens of titles” and the granting of nine promotions (no figures were provided for these initiatives.
East Hampton Town Administrator Rebecca Hansen said, “Our financial strategy balances the demands of a growing community with responsible fiscal management. As we navigate increasing costs and population growth, we are focused on maintaining transparency and accountability in our budgeting process.”
“Our commitment to transparency and responsible fiscal management remains unwavering,” concluded Supervisor Kathee Burke-Gonzalez. “We will continue to identify sustainable revenue sources that do not unduly burden our taxpayers, understanding that every dollar matters to our residents. Additionally, we will actively pursue grant funding opportunities to ensure that we can deliver essential services while minimizing the financial impact on our community.”