Sanitation commissioners say the unspoken truth about taxes and elections

                                                                                 

Oceanside Sanitary District 7 Aug. 16 meeting from YouTube

                                                                                   

You have to agree with Austin Graff, chairman of the Oceanside Sanitary District 7, who is running for re-election next year.

He says the district's budget discussion was transparent and posted on YouTube.

"We showed you how the budget was made and where the numbers came from," Graff posted on his "Austin Graff for Oceanside Sanitation Commissioner" Facebook page. "We are not hiding anything from the taxpayers..."

He's right. The commissioners say outright that they need to raise taxes this year to avoid raising taxes next year when Graff is running for re-election. 

Elected officials for decades have known this truth. They raise taxes when they are not running so they can hold the line, or even lower the levy, in the years they are seeking re-election and need voter approval.

But few have actually said this out loud.

Until the Aug. 16 budget meeting of the Oceanside Sanitary District 7 in Hempstead.

For background; Sanitary districts manage garbage collections in a specific geographic area. They are run by elected sanitation commissioners. The system seems archaic and costly to many. Former Nassau Democrats tried to eliminate the districts. But voters preferred local control.

At the Aug. 16 meeting, sanitation commissioners said they need to raise taxes to cover expenses.

Graff notes there is a 2 percent tax cap.

"You want to go 1.99, " Commissioner Joe Samoles said to Graff. "Here's why. 'Cause this year's elections don't really matter. The next year when you run, we don't want to raise taxes."

"This is my feeling," he continued. "I would raise this year and try to avoid next year.. if you want to protect yourself."

Graff responded, "I agree."

Semoles said, "That’s how I would do it."

And that's how they did it. 

Later in the meeting they realized they could actually raise taxes by 3.9 percent and stay within cap guidelines because they reduced taxes last year.

"I hate raising taxes but I think we should go to the max on this this year," Semoles said. 

Graff asked, "3.9 percent?"

Semoles responded. " We’re going to lose it otherwise. Right now we’re within the cap..."

"Think about the election for a second."

If they raised taxes by only 1.99 percent, they would be short next year and need to increase the levy, he said. If they raise taxes 3.9 percent, the district will have a cushion next year.

"Nobody likes it, " Semoles said.

The commissioners did not formally adopt the budget but agreed the 3.9 percent tax increase would stand as long as their calculations held.

Looks like they held.

This is the link to the meeting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFNIGi6ukUI&t=3735s

Here is Graff's Facebook post.