LIPA Proposes $3M To Town Of Huntington As Additional Concession
HUNTINGTON, NY — Following a request from the Huntington Town Board, the Long Island Power Authority agreed to provide an additional $3 million to the town as part of the proposed settlement for the Northport Power Plant tax assessment cases to help reduce the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on residents, town officials announced Friday.
LIPA’s offer to Huntington comes as the board continues to weigh arguments both for and against the proposed settlement. The board will vote on the settlement Thursday following a second public forum on the issue.
Supervisor Chad A. Lupinacci said LIPA agreed to the town’s request for $3 million in additional payments of $1 million per year from 2021 to 2023.
"While we were fortunate to be in a strong financial position when COVID-19 hit, the long-term impacts of this unprecedented economic crisis on our local economy and future government operations are not fully known," Lupinacci said. "LIPA has agreed to $3 million in additional payments to the Town for COVID-19 relief, which is an appropriate recognition of the impacts of this crisis and the economic challenges that all Town of Huntington residents will face in the near future."
The Town of Huntington and LIPA have, for years, been embroiled in disagreement over taxes related to the Northport Power Plant. The power company wants the town to slash its $82 million property tax bill by 90 percent, saying the plant is over-assessed, Huntington Now reported. LIPA says the power plant is worth $198 million; not the town's $3.4 billion figure.
"I am continuing to analyze this settlement, but any money that will go to the taxpayers is certainly a welcome development," Councilman Mark Cuthbertson said.
Said Councilwoman Joan Cergol, "This $3 million concession to soften any financial impacts of COVID-19 is certainly worthy of consideration in helping to protect and preserve vital town services and programs that our residents depend on and deserve, especially during these, and continuing difficult times."
The second public forum on the LIPA proposal will be held at 6 p.m. Thursday on Zoom. Public comment may be submitted ahead of the forum here. The forum will be livestreamed on Optimum 18, FIOS 38 and on the Huntington town website, where residents may sign up to speak.
The special Town Board meeting, at which members will vote on LIPA’s proposal, will be held at 8 p.m. Thursday or immediately after the public forum ends. Streaming services are the same.
The settlement is expected to increase taxes throughout the town, but Northport School District residents would bear the brunt, Huntington Now reported.
This article originally appeared on the Northport Patch