The Babylon Town Board held a public hearing Thursday on a proposed local law to pierce the state's 2% property tax cap, drawing a string of residents who spoke against both the tax increase and proposed raises for town officials.
Shirley Profright, who said she lives on Sprucewood Road in West Babylon, told the board she disagreed with raising the cap, saying town services had declined even as taxes rose. "The taxes are outrageous and the services are going down," she said, citing trouble getting her street plowed.
Several speakers focused on the size of the proposed raises. One resident questioned how such a large raise could be approved, saying, "People get three and four percent raises if they're lucky."
Bridget Rosansky, who said she lives on North Allegheny Avenue in Lindenhurst, said she came after learning of the hearing on social media and asked the board to explain the proposed increases. "I think it should be explained to the public today," she said. "But it's outrageous."
Other residents criticized the timing of the hearing itself, which was scheduled for 3 p.m. on a weekday. Wendy Canastro, who said she lives in Amityville, told the board the scheduling kept working taxpayers from attending and asked members to delay the vote. "Table this vote today. Reschedule this hearing in the evening so the working people at the town of Babylon can look you in the eye and voice their concerns and rejections," she said.
Linda Storm, who gave her address as 155 39th Street, made a similar request earlier in the hearing. "I think that you should add another hearing," she said. "This was very not good to put this in the day time when a lot of people can't come."
Catherine Abrahamson, who said she lives on Larson Lane in West Babylon, said residents should have a say in the raises. "We don't even get to vote on it. You voted for yourselves. Is that fair to us?" she said, asking that the discussion continue at a time when more residents could attend.
Kelly Jamison, of Thompson Drive, raised a range of complaints about road conditions, illegal car services and unequal neighborhood tax treatment while arguing against the raises. A resident named Ann Morea, who said she has lived in the area more than 50 years, told the board about problems with garbage pickup and snow plowing on her street.