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Guide to Suffolk’s 250th anniversary
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VOL. 60 NO. 4
JANUARY 22 - 28, 2026
ELDER LAW ESTATE PLANNING MEDICAID GUARDIANSHIPS Rochelle L. Verron, Es q. ESTATE & TRUST Founder & ADMINISTRATION Managing Partner $1.00
Lindenhurst Village Board OKs new $20 million budget Calls for 4% tax increase By CAROLYN JAMES cjames@liherald.com
Courtesy Babylon Village
Jeff Szabo left, and Jordan Hoffman, right.
Two candidates vie for Babylon Village Board seat in March election By CHRISTIE LEIGH BABIRAD cbabirads@liherald.com
The race for a seat on the Babylon Village Board has turned into a two-candidate contest as of now, with resident Jordan Hoffman announcing his candidacy against incumbent Trustee Jeffrey Szabo in the March election. The winner will fill the unexpired term of the late Sean Goodwin, who died late last year. Hoffman, who recently announced his candidacy said he is running on a platform focused on community service, transparency and responsiveness to residents. He said he believes village government needs to be more open and reflective of residents’ experiences. Hoffman has lived in Babylon for five years and has an extensive background in volunteer service. He has served for 16 years on the board of the Bay Community Volunteer Ambulance Corps and is a longtime volunteer with the Five Quad Volunteer Ambulance Corps. Szabo, who is running on the Better Babylon Party line, was appointed as trustee by Mayor Mary Adams and is seeking election to retain the seat.
A 20-year Babylon resident, Szabo has served as chief executive of the Suffolk County Water Authority for 16 years. He previously worked as a deputy county executive and chief of staff under former Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy. Since 2021, Hoffman has volunteered with the Babylon Fire Department, where he currently serves as a lieutenant in the rescue squad. He is also a member of the department’s high-water rescue unit and serves on its recruitment committee. Szabo said his experience has emphasized the importance of listening to residents, solving problems and preserving the village’s character. He was appointed to the board at the Nov. 12, 2025, meeting and has been serving in the role through April 6, 2026, to complete Goodwin’s term. “I’m glad the residents of Babylon Village have a choice, and I’m proud of my long and distinguished record of public service, most recently protecting Long Island’s drinking water,” Szabo said. “I have the knowledge and CONTINUED ON PAGE 7
Lindenhurst Village property owners will see an increase in their Village taxes of almost 4 percent, largely due to increasing costs for health care premiums and retirement fund costs for employees. Health care costs go from $2.4 mllion to $2.65 million, while state retirement costs go from $807,000 to $940,000. “We are seeing high increases for things that are really not within our control,” said Mike Lavorata, Village Mayor. The new spending plan, approved unanimously at the Village’s board meeting on Jan. 6, calls for $20 million in spending, an increase from $19.1 million from the 2025-26 budget. The board is applying $200,000 in surplus funds. The tax rate will go from $24.75 to $25.73 per $100 of assessed value with an additional annual fee of $236 for sanitation on a singlefamily home. That would result in a total annual Village tax bill on a home assessed at $4,600 of $1,374. Public safety costs are expected to come to $4.8 million and account for 24 percent of the budget, followed by public works at $4.60 million. Benefit costs are
$4.65 million while the village anticipates putting $675,000 into the Firefighters Awards Program. This year the Village created an on-street parking department, separate from public safety. There is also approximately $700,000 applied to culture, recreation and home and community service organizations. Monies for the budget come primarily from real estate taxes, this year expected to bring in $11.19 million or 56 percent of the budget. Sanitation fees will bring in 11 percent or $2.21 million; state aid $583,594 and $2.8 million from fines, forfeitures and Village permits. “Our department heads worked very hard to get the budget together as realistically as they could” said Lavorata thanking the employees for their work, including Louise Schrader, Village treasurer. The proposed tax rate pierces the state’s Tax Cap, which is at 2 percent or the rate of inflation, whichever is lower. Recent inflation rates for New York were recorded at from 3 to 4.3 percent. Resident Dennis Garbo asked the board if the Village would incur any financial penalties from the state for piercing the cap. “No,” said the Mayor. “That regulation does not apply to VilCONTINUED ON PAGE 7