Council Votes Not to Phase In Tax Revaluation

Town Council · Meeting of February 24, 2026

EAST HAMPTON — The East Hampton Town Council voted 6-0 not to phase in its 2025 property revaluation, letting the full tax impact hit fiscal 2027 bills. EQuality director Steve Kosofsky told the council residential values rose 51 percent on average versus 25 percent for commercial property, warning that phasing "defers" increases without reducing them and complicates future budget talks. Councilman Ted Hintz, Jr., who made the motion against phasing, argued it would unfairly delay relief for half of taxpayers.

Town Manager David Cox clarified no formal vote was legally required to let the revaluation stand. Separately, the council voted 5-1, with Hintz opposed, to call a March 10 Special Town Meeting on a $105,000 purchase of land at 292 West High Street near the wastewater plant, and voted to accept a donated right-of-way strip on Wilkes Road after resident Ryan McCormick raised watershed concerns. The council also approved $1,020.56 in tax refunds.

In the full story:

• The Full Story
• Why It Matters
• Key Motions & Votes
• Source
• Town of East Hampton Connecticut: Town Council meeting, February 24, 2026
• The complete report: 851 words

Source: the Town Council meeting of February 24, 2026, reported from the official video recording and transcript.

Checked against the record: before publication this article was automatically compared with the meeting transcript. It was corrected where it differed.

The Full Article

EAST HAMPTON — February 24, 2026 — The East Hampton Town Council voted 6-0 Tuesday not to phase in the results of the town's 2025 property revaluation, rejecting a tool that would have spread residential tax increases of roughly 50 percent over as many as five years.

Chairman Dean Markham presided over the meeting, which also saw the council vote 5-1 to call a Special Town Meeting for March 10 to approve a $105,000 purchase of land next to the town's wastewater treatment plant, and to accept a donated right-of-way parcel on Wilkes Road.

The Full Story

Representatives of eQuality, the appraisal firm that conducted East Hampton's 2025 property revaluation, told the council that the average residential property value rose 51 percent while commercial property values rose about 25 percent, shifting a larger share of the tax burden onto homeowners. Paul Kennedy, the firm's supervisor for East Hampton's revaluation, and Steve Kosofsky, the firm's director, presented data showing the town's increases were in line with other municipalities eQuality has serviced and said East Hampton was "not in desperate need" of a phase-in based on comparative data, though he noted the final decision was a policy choice for the council. Town Assessor Deborah Kopp also attended the presentation.

Kosofsky explained that a phase-in defers part of an assessment increase over two to five years, but warned it does not reduce the total tax owed and complicates future budget discussions because taxpayers cannot easily separate revaluation effects from budget-driven increases.

"What a phase-in does is basically defers some of the increase that property values have experienced as a result of the revaluation,"Steve Kosofsky, eQuality director. 00:21:04

Council members debated whether a phase-in was fair, with Councilman Ted Hintz, Jr., who made the motion against phasing, arguing that a multiyear deferral would still raise taxes on some residents before any new budget dollars are added. Town Manager David Cox noted that because no action was legally required to let the revaluation take full effect, the motion was procedural but useful for clarity.

"So, I mean, deal with that how you wish, but you would technically not need this motion,"David Cox, Town Manager. 01:00:39

The council also voted 5-1, with Hintz opposed, to adopt a resolution calling a Special Town Meeting for 6 p.m. March 10 to consider appropriating $105,000 from the Joint Facilities Committee Capital balance to purchase a 2.81-acre parcel at 292 West High Street for $100,000. The land, owned by VH, LLC, sits next to the wastewater treatment plant and would be held for future plant upgrades, according to the resolution and a memo from Cox.

In a separate matter, the council voted to accept a donated 0.0534-acre strip of land along Wilkes Road from Conntor Custom Homes, LLC, intended to square off the road's right-of-way near a recent subdivision. Resident Ryan McCormick of 452 Moodus Road raised concerns during public comment about potential impacts on the Pine Brook watershed and asked whether the town had discussed future roadway changes with the developer.

"If I fertilize it's going to spill down to the Pine Brook; these homes ultimately are connected directly to that watershed,"Ryan McCormick, East Hampton resident. 00:56:07

Cox responded that he was unaware of any plan to alter the roadway itself, saying the action only formalized the width of the existing right-of-way. One council member also questioned why the donation had not gone before the Board of Finance, since the parcel would come off the tax rolls; staff said donated rights-of-way tied to subdivision approvals are historically treated as land-use matters, not purchases.

Why It Matters

With the council declining to phase in the 2025 revaluation, the full assessment increases will apply starting with fiscal year 2027 tax bills. EQuality's data shows homeowners whose property values rose more than about 43 percent will see a built-in tax increase before any new town budget is adopted, while those below that mark could see reductions. Councilman Hintz said phasing would have unfairly delayed relief for half of taxpayers, but others warned it would make it harder for residents to distinguish revaluation effects from future budget-driven tax hikes.

The council also agreed to have staff research additional tax relief options, including expanded veterans' exemptions and a possible homestead exemption, for discussion at a future meeting. Separately, residents will get a direct vote March 10 on whether to spend $105,000 to acquire land adjacent to the wastewater plant.

Key Motions & Votes

- Vote: Adoption of the February 24 agenda Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Approval of February 10 regular meeting minutes Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Resolution calling Special Town Meeting for $105,000 purchase of 292 West High Street Tally: For: 5, Against: 1, Abstain: 0, Total: 6 - Vote: Acceptance of donated right-of-way parcel on Wilkes Road Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Motion not to phase in 2025 grand list revaluation changes Tally: Approved unanimously - Vote: Approval of tax refunds totaling $1,020.56 Tally: Approved unanimously

Source

Town of East Hampton Connecticut: Town Council meeting, February 24, 2026