Voters deny Mattituck Park District proposed 10% tax hike

The Mattituck Park District budget proposal to raise the tax levy by 10% failed Thursday, leaving officials with less than they’d hoped to keep up with repairs.

The vote failed with 128 for ‘No’ and 74 for ‘Yes.’

“We’re just going to live with our 2% cap,” Chairman Kevin Byrne said. “Out of 4,600 residents in Mattituck, a grand total of 202 managed to get out and vote. I can’t control people’s apathy.”

The proposal worked out to about $16.25 more per year, roughly a 10% increase, and would have exceeded the district’s allowable levy under New York’s property tax cap of 2%.

The proposal would raise the property tax levy from approximately $655,000 this year to $720,000 next year. Instead, it will rise by only about $13,000.

Mr. Byrne said the vote matters each year so the district can work on its “laundry-list of repairs” and apply for grants.

“Part of the process is getting things repaired and keeping things running, and part of the process is trying to maintain and build up a reserve because we are applying for a lot of grants to get major projects funded, and many of them require matching funds,” Mr. Byrne said.

The park district has had its sights set on several projects, including repairing — and eventually replacing — the tennis courts, clearing the invasive species along the James Creek and putting in a kayak launch.

Mr. Byrne said there are also problems at Breakwater Beach, such as the need to update the volleyball courts and playground. There are also two broken slides at the playground at Veterans Beach. The two beaches use nearly 30% of the district’s annual expenditures, including lifeguards, gate attendants and cleaning.

The Park District oversees nine public properties covering, including two protected swimming beaches, playgrounds, athletic fields, walking trails, tennis courts, a dog park, community rooms and docks. Its holdings include roughly 2,000 feet of Long Island Sound shoreline and another 2,000 feet along Peconic Bay.

Those holdings come with some big-ticket maintenance needs. Mr. Byrne, who is in his fifth year at the helm, said three parking lots will need to be redone over the next three years at a combined estimated cost of about $500,000.

“All of this costs money; being civil service costs money, paying employees costs money, and running beaches costs money,” Mr. Byrne said.

Last August, commissioners proposed a $925,500 spending plan that would have raised $757,800 through property taxes — a 28% increase from the prior year. Voters rejected it 143-86.