East Hampton - Ben Zwirn, the Democratic candidate for East Hampton Town Supervisor and deputy to Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy, held a press conference on Friday, July 10 to let East Hampton residents who have been penalized for failure to pay their property taxes on time know that they may be able to recoup those charges.

In an effort to cut costs in 2009, the East Hampton Town Board moved to eliminate a courtesy letter generally sent to residents reminding them to pay their property taxes by May 31. The April courtesy reminders are usually the third correspondence with residents each year, the first in December when the original bills are sent out and the second is generated in the first week in March, when the second half of the assessment bill is mailed out along with a reminder to pay any unresolved balance.

Tax Receiver Monica Rottach had proposed eliminating the third reminder in March as a means of cutting costs after Supervisor William McGintee asked all department heads to trim down. By Rottach's estimations the town saved approximately $4,500 by canceling the service.

While Suffolk County is currently undergoing financial difficulties of their own, Zwirn assured that these penalties are not how the County Executive would like to raise revenues.

While the town may have saved some funds, tardy taxpayers are paying the price. "I've paid my taxes on time for years," 25-year resident on Bull Path Close Mary Ellen Winston asserted during the press conference, displaying a notice from the receivers office that she was in arrears and now owed an additional $530.81 in taxes. Winston paid within the month, however as a retiree on a fixed income, those penalties will have a significant effect on her household budget.

And apparently Winston is not the only resident to miss the second payment, as Suffolk County is reporting a $2.2 million shortfall in East Hampton's tax warrant, according to Zwirn, the amount of which the county advances to the town and assumes the responsibility of collecting, with penalties as high as 16 percent. "While the county needs revenue, this is not how they want to get it," Zwirn insisted, explaining that there is a procedure to get the penalties waved through the county legislature.

"I am asking County Legislator Jay Schneiderman to introduce legislation in the county legislature to that effect forgiving the penalties to East Hampton taxpayers," Zwirn stated, adding that he is "asking the Town Board of the Town of East Hampton to send an accompanying letter to Legislator Schneiderman indicating that tax penalties were not the intent of the Board in their decision not to send notice of taxes due the Town."

Jeffery Fisher, an East Hampton resident and founding member of the newly established East Hampton Group for Good Government, lauded the board for the sentiment, however he criticized the move for a lack of foresight. "The idea was good, the concept was probably well-intentioned, however it just wasn't thought through," he contended, adding that as individual taxpayers "We're all responsible for what we do in life." Zwirn concurred, however, "In this economy people are holding onto their money longer, to the last minute," he surmised, "It's a sign of the times."

The Town's finances will not be effected by the late payments, as the county has filled in for the delinquent taxes, "Just embarrassment and angry taxpayers" for the Town Board, Zwirn reasoned.

Any East Hampton residents whose has been penalized for late payment of taxes this year have been encouraged to contact Zwirn by email at BenZwirn@hotmail.com. "We can fix this unfair tax hit on local residents," Zwirn vowed, "We can fix what's broken in East Hampton as well. That's why I am running for Town Supervisor."