Albany, NY – This week, legislation co-sponsored by Assemblyman Schiavoni authorized Suffolk County to affect changes to how revenues collected by hotel/motel taxes may be spent, passed both houses of the State Legislature.

After discussions over the last year, which rapidly concluded at the end of the 2026 Session, Suffolk County leaders, working with the Governor’s office made these changes as hotel/motel revenues have increased exponentially year over year, especially after increased tourism activity on the East End of Long Island after the COVID-19 pandemic.

Changes to how these revenues may be spent include $250,000 to the Montauk Lighthouse; an increase of $600,000 in cultural programming grants within Suffolk County Legislative Districts one and two, coming to total of $1,600,000 for the Legislative Districts represented by Leg. Greg Doroski and Leg. Ann Welker; as well as temporary funding for infrastructure projects which include the Ponquogue Bride, the Shinnecock Canal, and other tourism-related, coastal resiliency, and water quality projects across the county.

Earlier this year, Assemblyman Schiavoni introduced A.10895 which included an amendment to the Suffolk County hotel/motel tax law which stipulated that $250,000 to the anot-for-profitorganizationthat manages and owns the Montauk Lighthouse.

Assemblyman Schiavoni, along with East End county and town representatives were critical in securing these additional funding levels for important projects in a region which generates much revenue for the entire county and state. The East End, especially Montauk, is a global tourism destination and contributes a large portion of hotel/motel tax revenues.

New York State Assemblymember Tommy John Schiavoni said: “While the end result of these negotiations related to the Suffolk County hotel/motel tax changes is not perfect, I am happy to report back to East End residents that some major wins were included in these changes. The East End is a major revenue source for Suffolk County and New York State, and we are finally starting to see some of that money coming back to our communities. I am grateful to Governor Hochul and County Executive Romaine, my colleagues in the Suffolk County Delegation in both houses of the State Legisature, and to the members of the Suffolk County Legislature who were involved in these critical discussions.