Huntington, NY · Public hearing Nov. 5, 2026

Huntington's 2027 budget

Prepared by a Huntington resident.

Not an official Town document.

About the figures

Figures come from the Town's 2026 Adopted Budget and 2027 Preliminary Budget Book.

+18.4%
Town tax levy
+$26.4M
About 7× the state cap
+$356 a year
Estimate for an average home
Not published
The under-cap budget

Bottom line

The average home would pay about $356 more a year in town taxes, roughly $30 a month.

The budget books value that home at $709,090 for 2026 and $980,769 for 2027. School taxes are separate.

Property tax levy

  • All funds $143.5M to $169.9M+18.4%+$26.4M
  • Four major funds $127.0M to $152.4M+19.9%+$25.3M
  • General Fund $56.3M to $72.4M+28.7%+$16.2M

2026 p.43; 2027 p.45

About the four major funds

The General Fund, Highway Fund, Part Town Fund and Consolidated Refuse District Fund. The budget book says their tax rates affect all Town residents. 2027 p.59

  • General Fund: Town government and townwide services such as parks, public safety and human services. $56.3M to $72.4M (+28.7%).
  • Highway Fund: roads and drainage outside the villages. $39.3M to $45.6M (+15.9%).
  • Part Town Fund: building, zoning and code enforcement outside the villages. $3.4M to $4.3M (+27.4%).
  • Consolidated Refuse District Fund: trash, recycling and yard-waste pickup. $28.1M to $30.1M (+7.1%).

Together they are $152.4M of the $169.9M levy. The rest is special districts such as fire protection, street lighting, ambulance, sewer and water, which depend on where you live.

The average-home figure below covers these four funds only.

2026 p.43; 2027 p.45, p.62

Spending and revenue

  • Total budget$245.3M to $269.7M+9.9%+$24.4M
  • Reserves (fund balance) used$3.8M to $1.3M−$2.5M
  • Non-tax revenue$98.0M to $98.5M+$0.6Mflat

2026 p.42; 2027 p.44

Average home

  • Four major funds$1,766 to $2,122+20%+$356

2026 p.58; 2027 p.60

Why $356 is approximate

The "average home" differs between the two books: assessed at $3,900 (market value $709,090) in 2026 and $3,825 (market value $980,769) in 2027.

Your own bill depends on your assessment and school district.

With and without the increase

Only the budget with the increase has been published. The under-cap version isn't in the 407-page book.

"The cap" is New York's property tax cap, which limits yearly growth in the levy. For 2027 the limit is 2.68% (2027 p.12).

With the increase
Under the cap
Levy growth
+$26.4M+18.4%
About +$3.85M2.68% allowed
Average home
About $2,122+$356
About $1,813+$47, estimate
Gap to close
None
About $22.5Mestimate
Reserves
Draws $1.3M
Would draw more
Services
All maintained
Cuts possible
Published detail
Full line items
Not published
Details and sources
  • The state cap allows 2.68% levy growth, about +$3.85M. 2027 p.12
  • $1,813 (+$47) is an estimate, applying 2.68% to the 2026 figure.
  • The $22.5M gap is an estimate: $26.4M minus $3.85M.
  • The Supervisor's budget letter says "No cuts to Town services." 2027 p.12
  • The budget draws $1.3M from reserves, down from $3.8M. Drawing more is a risk: Moody's flags reserves below 35% of revenue as a downgrade risk. 2027 p.11
  • The Supervisor has named parades, summer camps, beach hours, personnel and certain senior services as possible cuts. Budget workshops showed about 16% department cuts. (News 12; Huntington Now)

These aren't the only choices. The Board could exceed the cap by less than 18%, use more reserves for a year, or cut selectively.

What doesn't add up

Two places where the 2027 budget book and the Supervisor's letter don't line up.

"The letter" is the Supervisor's budget message, pages 10–12 of the 2027 book.

  1. The letter covers $15M of $24.4M

    Supervisor Smyth's letter, dated October 2026, opens the budget book. It lists new costs: snowstorms $4M, state retirement $1.8M, health insurance $2.5M, refuse $2.5M, workers' comp $0.75M, debt service $1.5M, wages $2.1M. That is about $15.2M in total. Spending rises $24.4M.

    2027 pp.10–11; p.34

  2. Contracts and benefits rise most

    Contracts, materials and supplies: $87.7M to $98.3M (+$10.6M).

    Employee benefits: $59.3M to $66.4M (+$7.1M).

    2026 p.46; 2027 p.50

The letter puts higher refuse contract fees at $2.5M. The Resource Recovery budget line rises about +$3.4M, from $29.96M to $33.38M.

What explains the difference?

2026 p.153; 2027 p.159

Questions for the Town Board

  1. Will the Town publish the under-cap budget, line by line, before any vote to exceed the cap?
  2. Which camps, beach hours, lifeguards and youth programs would be cut, and what would each save?
  3. Is there a middle option, such as an 8–10% increase, and what would it keep?
  4. The Supervisor's budget letter (pages 10–11) explains about $15M of new costs. The budget grows $24.4M. Where is the other $9M?
  5. Page 58 shows town taxes up 2.8%; page 60 shows about 20%. Which chart is correct, and will the other be fixed?
    What the two charts show

    Both charts are in the 2027 budget book, and both are the Town's estimate of what a household pays in town taxes.

    Page 58, by school district: a household in the Huntington school district goes from $1,686 to $1,734. That is +2.8%.

    Page 60, the average home: $1,766 to $2,122. That is +20%.

    The charts are built differently, but the Town's tax levy rises 18.4%, and that should show up in both.

    2026 p.56; 2027 p.58 vs. p.60

  6. Is it about $25 a month, as stated in September, or about $30, as the budget implies? (Huntington Now; 2027 p.60)
  7. If this passes, what prevents another large increase in 2028? Is the refuse contract renewal priced in?
  8. What is the long-term cost of lowering retiree health eligibility for elected and appointed officials to 6 years' service and age 55? (Huntington Now)

To be fair

What hard costs are rising, and what limits the Town's options?

  • Refuse disposal is up $3.4M

    The Resource Recovery budget line (A8170) rises from $29.96M to $33.38M.

    2026 p.153; 2027 p.159

  • Snow removal rises to $4.60M

    Up from $2.98M. The 2026 projected cost was about $5.56M.

    2026 p.164; 2027 p.171

  • State retirement rises to $12.2M

    Up from $10.8M, across all funds.

    2026 pp.130–132; 2027 pp.134–137

  • Part is catch-up from a 2026 freeze

    The General Fund levy was frozen in 2026 (0% change), held flat using reserves.

    The 2026 budget raised the overall levy 2.3% and stayed under the cap.

    2026 pp.33, 43

  • Using reserves risks the bond rating

    Reserves are still over $60M and the Town kept its Aaa bond rating, but Moody's warns that further drawdowns risk a downgrade.

    Budget letter, 2027 p.11

Sources