Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation on Monday amending the New York State tax law to stipulate that $250,000 of Suffolk County’s hotel and motel taxes be appropriated to help maintain and operate the Montauk Lighthouse.
In 2023, Suffolk was authorized to increase the lodging tax from 3 percent to 5.5 percent, and amended the formula for disbursement of the money, creating the Suffolk County Infrastructure Fund for the purpose of investing in tourism-related infrastructure. The sharp increase, which led to the collection of more than $21.5 million in the first year, was stridently opposed by East Hampton Town hoteliers, particularly those in Montauk, where much of the tax revenue is generated. Rather than allocation toward critical infrastructure improvements on the East End, the majority of the tax revenue was to go toward construction of a convention center in Ronkonkoma and the increase of Discover Long Island’s tourism promotion budget.
Assemblyman Tommy John Schiavoni introduced a bill to rework the distribution of the lodging tax revenue at the start of the 2026 legislative session. The bill signed by the governor makes that official, appropriating $250,000 to the Lighthouse, increasing an expenditure in cultural programming across the county by $600,000, and providing temporary funding for infrastructure projects including the Ponquogue Bridge and Shinnecock Canal in Hampton Bays as well as other tourism-related, coastal resiliency, and water quality projects in the county.
“The East End is a major revenue source for Suffolk County and New York State, and thanks to Governor Hochul and local partners, we are seeing more of that money coming back to our communities,” Mr. Schiavoni said in a statement announcing the legislation. “I am proud to champion the symbol of our region and of our great state, the Montauk Lighthouse. I am also grateful to Suffolk County leaders for their attention to our needs here on the East End, especially our transportation infrastructure and protecting our natural resources as we continue to combat the effects of climate change.”
“These funds will be a huge boost to the Montauk Point Lighthouse, a National Historic Landmark that we are proud and honored to maintain,” Mia Certic, executive director of the Montauk Historical Society, which owns the Lighthouse, said in the same statement. “Thanks to this bill, we look forward to keeping our light shining bright for generations to come, welcoming ever more visitors and continuing to steer mariners into a safe harbor.”
