Brookhaven Holds Tax Hike Below State Cap

While municipalities across New York grapple with soaring costs and mounting financial pressures, Brookhaven Town Supervisor Daniel J. Panico is keeping the town's proposed 2027 property tax increase below the state's tax cap.

Panico announced that Brookhaven's preliminary budget calls for a property tax levy increase of approximately 1.7%, remaining below New York's 2% tax cap.

But the supervisor warned that unfunded state mandates and rising expenses are putting tremendous pressure on local governments.

"You cannot make Long Island more affordable by making local government more expensive. Budgeting is not magic; it is math, and the numbers do not lie," Panico declared.

The supervisor identified increasing retirement contributions, skyrocketing health insurance premiums, changes to property tax exemptions and the financial impact of the Long Island Power Authority Reform Act as major budget challenges.

Panico also called for greater state involvement in addressing Long Island's growing garbage disposal crisis.

Despite those pressures, Brookhaven has streamlined operations, eliminated unnecessary government functions and shifted additional work to existing employees.

"We've eliminated functions where appropriate. We're doing more work in-house with existing employees in our capital crew," Panico said.

The town eliminated its Planning Board and Accessory Apartment Review Board while investing in technology to improve government efficiency.

Brookhaven maintains AAA credit ratings from Standard & Poor's and Moody's, allowing the municipality to secure favorable borrowing terms.

Panico emphasized that the preliminary budget does not depend on surplus funds, one-time revenues or speculative projections.

The supervisor also highlighted where residents' property taxes actually go.

Town government accounts for approximately 7% of the average property tax bill outside incorporated villages, compared with roughly 70% going to school districts.

Serving nearly 500,000 residents, Brookhaven maintains approximately 3,620 lane miles of roads and 256 parks and recreational facilities.