LIPA is the current operator of the Northport power plant and has initiated legal action to grieve the property taxes on the waterfront power plant, despite having agreed to not do so, several ago, under previous management.

Originally, they sought reimbursement for taxes paid and a substantial reduction for taxes owed in the future.

The current settlement proposal releases a claim to previously paid taxes and seeks a phased implementation of a future tax reduction of over 47%.

This petition requests that the Northport / East Northport non-union school district reject this settlement proposal for the following reasons:

1. If the town loses the tax cert case the town can appeal. The appeal will give more time for negotiations and time to find a better solution. We are being told that we most likely will lose and that Judge Emerson will give them more then a 47% tax reduction. We look at these stacks everyday and made the choice to accept the stacks as a backdrop due to the lower taxes. Reducing their taxes this much is baffling. If we settle there is no going back for us.

2. If we win the appeal LIPA does not get any reduction in their taxes. of course there are risks of litigation but this settlement is not enough. I believe that we need to stand our ground to protect the already unstable financial health of the Northport-East Northport District. The district is losing a lot of money from LIPA, the $14.5 million is very little compared to what we are losing

3. Making a huge decision on a settlement during a global pandemic is a mistake. People are burnt out and emotional. Lets stand our ground until we are out of the COVID ECONOMY. This is important for the financial health of everyone in this community as well as, and most importantly, the MENTAL HEALTH. Community members are dealing with job loss, cancer, Covid deaths, children regressing, uncertainty. LET'S APPEAL TO GIVE US SOME TIME TO HEAL and to give us the strength to stand our ground and make a decision that is best for all parties.
Thank you everyone. Please cut and paste into an email or send your own words to these representatives.

4. This increase in property taxes, over the course of a few years will exceed what certain residents can afford, and prompt them to move / sell their homes, which will now suffer a decrease in value.  In short, this action will have an immediate and prolonged impact on the value of all properties and on the financial security of the families in our community.

BOE members please vote no!