It’s game time!
After months of wrangling, tax-dazed Nassau County residents will vote today on whether they want to borrow $400 million to fund a controversial new sports arena for the Islanders and a minor-league baseball stadium in Uniondale.
Supporters call it Long Island’s last chance to keep the struggling hockey franchise.
Opponents argue that a county with a $100 million budget deficit should not be borrowing cash and shoveling more taxes on the backs of its residents.
Either way, there are dueling estimates on how much each Nassau County resident’s tax bill would rise if the plan is approved.
Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano — who has strongly endorsed the plan — said an independent study put the annual hike at roughly $14 a year for 30 years.
But the Nassau County Interim Finance Authority, a state fiscal watchdog, said the hike would be closer to $60 per year for the next 30 years.