Suffolk voters will vote on Proposition 2, a new tax to address clean water and wastewater treatment
Proposition 2 would raise Suffolk's sales tax by one-eighth of a penny to create funding for wastewater and clean water treatment projects.
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Suffolk voters will weigh in on a new tax to address clean water and sewage treatment on Election Day.
Proposition 2 would raise Suffolk's sales tax by one-eighth of a penny to create funding for wastewater and clean water treatment projects.
If passed, a 21-person board would recommend projects to the county Legislature to vote on to distribute the funding.
Mark DeAngelis runs the West Sayville Boat Basin, which he refers to as a working waterfront.
"There's a lot of things we spend our taxes on. This is one that we specifically can see results from,” he said. “Water quality increases, septic and sewer system efficiency increases."
Citizens Campaign for the Environment executive director Adrienne Esposito says the fund would address the immediate issue of wastewater issues on Long Island.
"We have to clean up the mess we've made,” she said. "Our water quality is degrading and it won't stop on its own, but the good news is we know how to fix the problem. We just need the funds."
Suffolk Legislator Robert Trotta says he’s voting no on Proposition 2.
"Everyone is for clean water. I want people to have clean water. We have the money for clean water,” he said.
Trotta says the county already has the funds to address the problem and says a sales tax increase would be unnecessary.
"This is nothing more than developers trying to overdevelop and make Suffolk County into Queens,” he said. “Make no mistake about it, we have the money. We need to manage it more effectively."
DeAngelis says passing Proposition 2 would also be an economic boost because he’s seen that when there's cleaner water, it's an economic driver for businesses.
"People spend money on the water. They spend money on going to the beaches. They spend money on recreation,” he said.
If passed, the county would have funding through 2060 for clean water projects.
