Southampton, New York Schools overpaid $ 1.91 million

New York City from Southampton, an access point for summer investment bankers on Wall Street and Hollywood stars, paid more than 1.91 million U.S. dollars in lieu of taxes to two Long Island school districts, Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli said.

Southampton 8.29 million U.S. dollars given to schools in the eastern end of Long Island, where the amount should have been $ 7,620,000, DiNapoli said in a statement today, citing an audit of payments made in the property free taxes of the coastal city. He said a third system underpaid and three fire districts.

"When governments and municipalities make mistakes, taxpayers suffer," said DiNapoli. The error stems from a misinterpretation of a 2007 change in the law under which cities make payments in lieu of taxes, DiNapoli said.

The city of about 55,200, attended by billionaire investor George Soros and film stars Renee Zellweger and Michael J. Fox, could have saved about $ 664,600 during the two years that were examined, according to DiNapoli's audit. The highest paying in excess of 1.76 million dollars, went to the Riverhead Central School District, said DiNapoli.

In its official response, the city said developing a "plan of corrective action." Southampton officials could not immediately be reached for comment today.