This upcoming election is important for a lot of reasons. When you receive your ballot, you’ll choose your names on the front side (you’re on your own with that). However, it is extremely important that you flip your ballot over and check out the propositions on the back.
If you live and vote in Suffolk County, you’ll have two or three propositions on your ballot, depending on what Town you live on. Pay careful attention to Proposal No. 2 (Resolution 547-2020). Suffolk County Politicians are trying to raid your Drinking Water Protection Program again.
Suffolk County has carefully worded the proposition in a way that makes no sense, so that you know what they’re actually up to. But make no mistake, they are asking for your permission to raid a fund of your tax dollars that you have already designated for water protection.
Here’s the language you’ll see on the ballot:
PROPOSAL TWO, A PROPOSITION
Resolution No. 547-2020, “A Charter Law to Transfer Excess Funds in the Sewer Assessment Stabilization Reserve Fund to the Suffolk County Taxpayer Trust Fund and to Eliminate the Requirement that Interfund Transfers Be Made from the General Fund to the Sewer Assessment Stabilization Fund”
Shall Resolution No. 547-2020 be approved?
( ) Yes ( ) No
Makes a lot of sense, right? (That was sarcasm, in case you missed it.)
Here’s the deal.
A Vote AGAINST Suffolk County Prop #2 (NO Vote) –
- Would enforce a court ruling that requires the repayment of tens of millions of dollars illegally raided from the Drinking Water Protection Program Fund
- Would ensure the availability of money to protect residents’ drinking water
- Would maintain enough money in the tax stabilization fund to assist taxpayers in existing and new sewer districts
A Vote FOR Suffolk County Prop #2 (YES Vote) –
- Would move funds from the Drinking Water Protection Program to a general fund, which can be used for whatever politicians want.
- Would “forgive” the repayment of tens of millions of dollars back to the water protection fund, that had been previously illegally raided
The Suffolk County Drinking Water Protection Program (DWPP) was created by voters in 1987 by an 87% majority and has been extended several times since. It uses a ¼-percent in sales tax to fund important water quality improvement initiatives, the preservation of open space, and control taxes for those in sewer districts.
Unfortunately, Long Island has the most contaminated water in the state. It also has some of the highest concentrations of nitrogen in our groundwater in the country. This is a public health crisis, that we cannot ignore. We cannot afford to raid the Drinking Water Protection Program.
