Government
Halpin proposes $121 million tentative 2027 budget; tax levy stays under cap
Supervisor Jerry Halpin's tentative 2027 budget proposes $120.96 million in spending across Riverhead Town's operating funds, with a townwide tax levy increase of $1.7 million, or 2.79%.
Government
Audit: Riverhead’s general fund balance grows to $33.3 million as revenue outpaces spending
Fueled largely by property taxes, Riverhead added nearly $4.9 million to its general fund balance in 2025, giving officials a larger financial cushion as they prepare the next budget.
Government
Romaine’s $4.59 billion budget proposal holds county general fund tax levy steady
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.
Guest Column
Reassessment 101: Poison or prescription
By law, all real property in a town must be assessed at a uniform percent of value — but in Riverhead, that figure has fallen to 7.73% of market value, 46 years after the last town-wide update.
Guest Column
Exemption 101: What real property is taxable and what is exempt in Riverhead
Riverhead assessor Laverne Tennenberg explains how property tax exemptions work. About 25% of the property value in the Town of Riverhead is exempt from taxation, shifting the tax burden onto all remaining taxable properties.
Guest Column
Assessment 101: The facts behind the United Riverhead Terminal settlement
Even though it is still summer vacation and school is out, perhaps it is time for a lesson in Assessment 101.
Government
Court filings show United Riverhead Terminal tax settlement could trigger $1.27M in refunds
Court filings show Riverhead agreed to reduce United Riverhead Terminal’s assessments by $6.66 million, generating an estimated $1.27 million in refunds or credits for tax years already billed.
Government
Friar’s Head tax refund hit exposes broader assessment challenges in Riverhead
A $6 million Friar’s Head refund drove Riverhead’s tax debt spike this year, but the bigger story is the town’s ongoing exposure to costly commercial property assessment litigation.
Government
Tax bill complaints aired at 2026 budget hearing
Riverhead Town officials fielded residents’ questions and complaints about rising property taxes during a hearing Thursday afternoon on the Town Board’s preliminary budget for 2026.
Government
Riverhead to hold hearing to pierce tax cap and adopt 2026 budget Thursday; questions about budget hearing notice go unanswered
Riverhead’s 2026 spending plan heads to a public hearing Thursday alongside a hearing on a local law to override New York’s 2% tax cap. The town's published notice of th budget hearing lacks information required by state law.
