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THE HALF HOLLOW HILLS NEWSPAPER • AUGUST 12, 2010 • A3
TOWN OF HUNTINGTON
Budget Cools Deficit, Burns Wallets Boasts higher taxes, millions gone for schools, hospitals and the environment By Amanda Lindner
alindner@longislandernews.com
The 125-day late state budget passed last week will close New York’s $9.2 billion deficit – courtesy of residents’ wallets. Shoppers will temporarily pay a higher sales tax, philanthropists will get less of a tax break, more than a billion dollars in rebate checks won’t be given out and a cigarette tax will become permanent. Meanwhile, schools will lose $1.4 billion, hospitals will get $19 million less in state aid and a $78 million cut for the Environmental Protection Fund could mean trouble for Long Island’s beaches and parks. Starting Oct. 1, Long Island shoppers will pay an 8.625 percent tax on items less than $110. Then in April, the sales tax will go back to 4.625 percent for items less than $55. The temporary increase is expected to bring in $330 million in additional revenue. Seniors and homeowners looking for their tax rebates will be waiting on an empty mailbox as the approved plan did away with $1.6 billion for the Middle
Class STAR rebate program. While the middle class is getting fewer dollars, the rich and poor will have to get by with less too, as charitable donations won’t be worth as much of a tax break. Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy isn’t happy with the plan and says the budget makes it more difficult to live and work. “We are disappointed that there is no property tax cap and that we lost millions in aid,” said Levy. “And the biggest impact is the loss of an economic development program that gave tax incentives to businesses to locate here.” Spending cuts were the key to ending the deficit, which means while families are paying more in taxes, students and teachers will be getting less. Long Island schools will lose $173 million in aid, leading to possible teacher layoffs, bigger class sizes and fewer programs. There is an expected $607 million in federal funds for schools, but most of the aid is expected to go to larger urban areas such as New York City, Albany and Buffalo – not suburban schools on Long Island. This doesn’t bode well for many
teachers and school employees, like those in South Huntington, for example, who already gave a week of unpaid work last year. “The federal money, frankly, will come too late. We have already set programs
“We keep tipping away and tipping away and eventually we are going to fail” — HARBORFIELDS SUPERINTENDENT FRANK CARASITI on Long Island schools losing state funding and schedules for the school year based on the staff cuts and available spending,” South Huntington Superintendent Thomas Shea said. “We built our budget based on the assumption, now correct, that we wouldn’t get any funds restored, which we didn’t.”
The school district plans to reduce its equipment and supplies by half, and no musical instruments or sports uniforms will be purchased. Harborfields Superintendent Frank Carasiti is also feeling squeezed by the budget. “We keep tipping away and tipping away and eventually we’re going to fall,” he said of what would happen if the school continues to get less funding each year. “We will survive this year and we just hope for the best next year. If I have to reduce the staff again, that is a concern, a major concern.” More bad news for residents is the $78 million cut for the Environmental Protection Fund, a program to keep up recycling programs and keep beaches, bays and parks clean. The spending slash was the most dramatic cut for the program in history. This will especially impact Huntington, which suffers from storm water runoff. Centerport Harbor was closed for 107 days last year, setting a state record. With less money to keep up the landscape, more closings may be (Continued on page A21)
DIX HILLS
Beating The Heat In Huntington Residents enjoying the beach, ice skating rink to keep cool in above-average temperatures By Casey Schneider info@longislandernews.com
John Solarino of Melville and Kristina Fittipaldi escape the heat with a day of kayaking. cold drinks and a few friends are all you need, at least according to Chris DeNicola of Melville.
Half Hallow Hills photo/Casey Schneider
The end of the summer may be approaching, but with plenty of scorching hot days still on the horizon, Huntington residents are finding different ways to stay cool. With monthly average temperatures above average and on the rise from June to August, it’s no surprise people are desperate to beat the heat. June was hotter this year that average, up from a 60-degree average to 72 degrees in 2010. As hot as it has been in the month of August, the average high temperature has been 84 degrees, slightly higher than usual but without breaking the record high for the month. On Aug. 3, 2006, Huntington Station experienced feverish temperatures of 103 degrees. One way residents are staying cool and getting out with the entire family is visiting the Dix Hills Ice Rink in Dix Hills Park on Vanderbilt Parkway. No matter
how hot the air is outside, the mercury never climbs over 40 degrees in the rink. Vin Bivona, a rink guard at Dix Hills Ice Rink, said he loves going to work this time of the year to escape the heat. “There is no better place to stay cool in the summer than here,” Bivona said. Also located in the Dix Hills Park is the Dix Hills pool, another source of relief from the summer heat. Like the ice rink, the pool has discounted rates for all Town of Huntington residents and is open to anyone who needs to beat the heat. Other residents said they are busy enjoying their heat-busting hobbies during the summer. John Solarino, of Melville, said he spends his days kayaking with his girlfriend Kristina Fittipaldi. “A kayak ride is a great and inexpensive way to get out of the heat,” said Solarino, who added he launches out of Merrick. The beach is also a fun and cheap way to enjoy a day in the sun. A cooler full of
DIX HILLS
High-Speed Chase Ends With Arrest Alleged street racer catches cop’s attention, leads officer on pursuit By Mike Koehler mkoehler@longislandernews.com
Brandon Harrell, 22, may have been racing other motorists on Melville Park Road last weekend, but he could not outrun police. Suffolk County Officer Jeffrey Fong was patrolling Melville at 1:25 a.m. on Aug. 7 when he noticed several vehicles drag racing. The racers sped off in different directions once they caught sight of
the officer, police said, but Fong kept one vehicle in sight. A 1993 Honda sped along Melville park Road, swerving between lanes. Not far behind, Fong maintained a safe distance and waited for the driver to slow down to a normal speed. He stopped the vehicle safely on the Long Island Expressway in Dix Hills near Deer Park Avenue. Harrell, of Brentwood, was arrested and charged with illegal speed contest and
reckless driving – both misdemeanors. He was also charged with several traffic violations, according to the state court sources. Harrell was arraigned at the First District Court in Central Islip later that day. He remains incarcerated after failing to post the $7,500 cash bail. He’s due to appear in court again on Aug. 13. Deer Park Avenue has long been known on the street racing scene, although Suffolk police said Farmingdale is the current hotspot.
Rink guard Vin Bivona stays cool while helping camper Daniel Imperato of Huntington off the ice at the Dix Hills Ice Rink.