The Northport school district and LIPA have worked out an agreement in a long-running tax dispute. The agreement in principle was announced at a school board meeting Wednesday night.
If the agreement is approved by the Huntington Town Board, the utility would see its annual taxes fall to $46 million from the current $86 million over seven years.
LIPA has been trying to lower its taxes on the Northport power plant for the last 10 years, with their claim in court and in mediation.
The plan endorsed by the school board is meant to avoid a devastating loss to the school district that could have resulted if LIPA won the back taxes it was claiming on the plant.
Sid Nathan, a spokesman for LIPA, said, “We are pleased to have reach this fair settlement with our host community which preserves the Northport School District’s low taxes even as LIPA continues the transition from fossil fuel plants to a cleaner electric grid.”
Michael Marcantonio, an activist against the settlement and a candidate for the 12th Assembly District representing Northport, said, “I am outraged that our school board stabbed us in the back today and undercut our movement to resist LIPA’s extortion. But there is some hope. School Board President David Badanes must honor his campaign promise to oppose LIPA’s disgraceful settlement offers and stand up for us now when we need him most. I am therefore publicly calling on him to allow me to file an Article 78 proceeding on his behalf to enjoin the School Board from voting on this settlement on July 20th. As a school board member, Badanes has standing to file this lawsuit. I do not, or else it would have been filed by now.”
This story will update Friday morning.
