Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine has proposed a $4.59 billion budget for 2027 that would hold the county’s general fund property tax levy steady while relying on more than $2.2 billion in sales tax revenue to help fund county operations.
The spending plan, released Friday, would also leave the county’s community college property tax levy unchanged. Those countywide levies represent a relatively small part of local property tax bills, which also fund schools, towns and other taxing districts.
Romaine announced in a press release Friday he is not proposing to raise general fund taxes for 2027.
The proposal would increase property taxes for the county police district and District Court, which serve Suffolk’s five western towns. Riverhead and the other East End towns fall outside those districts.
Sales tax remains Suffolk’s largest revenue source. The proposed budget anticipates $2.208 billion in sales tax revenue, including money dedicated to water-quality improvements.
The administration projects sales tax collections, excluding the additional one-eighth-percent water-quality tax, will grow 1.89% over its estimate for 2026. The budget anticipates slower growth in consumer spending next year and acknowledges that changes in economic conditions could significantly affect collections.
That reliance makes spending by residents and visitors an important factor in the county’s ability to support services while limiting property taxes.
The proposed general fund property tax levy — the total amount collected from property owners — would remain about $51 million. The community college levy would remain about $5.25 million. An unchanged levy does not necessarily mean an identical bill for each property owner, because assessments and the allocation of taxes can change.
The police district levy would rise by $18.6 million, to $711.1 million, while the District Court levy would increase by about $1.43 million, to $14.1 million.
Romaine’s proposal includes continued funding for wastewater improvements and assistance to homeowners replacing outdated septic systems. The budget says the additional sales tax approved by voters for water quality generated $49 million in 2025 and is projected to generate $60 million this year.
The administration says that funding supports sewer expansion, treatment plant improvements and advanced septic systems intended to reduce pollution.
The spending plan also funds Suffolk County Transit, mental health services, substance use disorder treatment and services for families and children. It provides for new classes of police officers, deputy sheriffs, probation officers and correction officers.
Employee benefits are the largest spending category in the budget’s summary, accounting for about $1.21 billion, or 26% of proposed spending. Public safety accounts for about $983 million, or 21%.
“State-mandated pension contributions are projected to be $31 million or 11.5% higher in 2027,” Romaine said in the release.
Romaine’s office says the proposal complies with the state property tax cap and that the county has more than $800 million in reserves.
The proposal goes before the 18-member Suffolk County Legislature for review and adoption. Republicans hold a supermajority, giving Romaine’s party control of the budget approval process.
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