Furious Babylon residents unleash criticism over proposed tax hike, raise for Supervisor Rich Schaffer

Furious Babylon Town residents unleashed a tirade of criticisms and complaints at the town’s board during a public hearing on a proposed budget that would raise their taxes by nearly 6% and could give town Supervisor Rich Schaffer a 29% raise in salary.

Residents packed the town boardroom Thursday afternoon and angrily denounced both the proposed tax increase and Schaffer’s salary hike. At times the fiery comments turned personal, with residents mentioning the FBI and state attorney general’s probes into possible misconduct by Schaffer during his bid to retain his chairmanship of the Suffolk County Democratic Committee in September.

The preliminary 2027 budget, which would raise taxes for the average homeowner by $114, from $1,920 to $2,034, also includes a more than $36,000 salary bump for Schaffer. The pay raise represents a 29.3% increase from $123,680 to $160,000. His salary had also increased in the current budget from $119,497 in 2025.

The salary hike, along with proposed increases for the tax receiver, clerk and council members’ salaries, was mentioned by almost all of the more than three dozen speakers at the hearing.

"I just don’t understand how someone can give themselves a 29% raise," said Karen Scribner, of Babylon, calling all of the raises for the elected officials "unheard of" compared with the income of residents. "People get 3% or 4% raises if they’re lucky."

Jackie Burbridge, of Copiague, was the first to bring up the probes into Schaffer’s conduct as party chair.

"We are being asked to pay for a 29% salary increase for you as you are actively being investigated by the federal and state for corruption charges," she told him.

Dave Fekete, of Deer Park, said the council members are "out of touch" with their constituents and noted Schaffer’s roles as a private attorney, Democratic party head and supervisor.

"You make like three salaries, what do you need more money for?" he said. "You guys should be ashamed of yourselves for even thinking of giving yourselves raises when regular people who live here are struggling."

Other residents focused on the nearly 6% tax hike, which town officials previously told Newsday is being largely driven by health insurance and pension costs. The town estimates insurance costs will go up around 10%, or by $1.7 million, while pension costs will also increase by 10%, or $664,509.

Many residents complained the amount of taxes being levied is disproportionate to what they receive in return, bringing up everything from a lack of traffic signs to inadequate snow plowing.

"The taxes are outrageous and the services are going down," said Shirley Proefriedt, of West Babylon. 

Anne Morea, of Babylon Village, said she is a senior on a fixed income.

"In this economy, in this day and age, I don’t see how you can all ask for this huge raise," she told the board. "I have nowhere to get that money from ... this is just unfair to us and we can’t handle anymore."

Neither Schaffer nor council members answered questions from speakers, as is standard practice at the town’s public hearings. Many residents also complained about the afternoon timing of the hearing. Afterward, Schaffer told Newsday that residents "made good points" and the board would consider all of the comments, as well as those they received through letters and emails throughout October.

Schaffer said any salary increase for himself would be decided by the board in January and that he would not vote on it. He showed Newsday figures that would place his salary fourth-highest among western towns in Suffolk County and said the increase comes after years of either no increase or a 5.3% or less raise since he returned to being supervisor in 2012.

"Personal attacks, that’s part of the job and that’s the way you get good input from people," he told Newsday. "Usually, they’ll give you their true feelings at a public hearing and it benefits me and the other board members in helping us make our decision."

Schaffer said he took in the message that the tax hike was an added burden with the rise in inflation.

"I totally get it and understand where they’re coming from," he said. "Any increase is going to hurt people but we felt it was important to maintain the level of services people have come to expect."

The town board will vote on the proposed budget at its next meeting on Nov. 18 at 3 p.m.

By Denise M. Bonilla

denise.bonilla@newsday.comdenisebonilla

Denise Bonilla has worked at Newsday since 2003 and covers the Town of Babylon, including the villages of Lindenhurst and Amityville.