Hamptons Cheat Sheet: Legal battle over local listings heats up, Sag Harbor assemblyman proposes tax to fund loans for first-time homebuyers … & more

Legal battle between Saunders & Associates and Meg Salem heats up in court
Star broker Meg Salem is accused of stealing thousands of active and non-active listings by her former employer Saunders & Associates when she left for startup brokerage Compass in late 2015, but last week in U.S. District Court in Islip Salem’s defense lawyer argued that Saunders was using the alleged data breaches as a “golden opportunity” in its fight against Compass. Saunders is countersuing Saunders for $5 million, alleging that Saunders owes her $430,000 in unpaid commissions and has kept her from working in the Hamptons. [TRD]

Sag Harbor Assemblyman proposes real estate transfer tax to help first-time homebuyers
State Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr., who represents the South Fork and Shelter Island, introduced legislation that would fund loans to low-income first-time homebuyers through an additional half-percentage tax on luxury property transfers. Residents or workers in East Hampton, Southampton, Shelter Island, Riverhead, and Southold who make less than $132,960 would be eligible for the loans. South Fork and Shelter Island homes valued at $1 million or less, and North Fork houses valued at $750,000 or less would be exempt from the additional tax. Thiele told the East Hampton Star the tax would raise an estimated $15 million to $20 million per year, mostly from home sales in Southampton and East Hampton. [EHS]

Ron Perelman’s legal battle over renovations at East Hampton estate nears an end
The legal fight over code violations and un-permitted renovations at Ron Perelman’s East Hampton estate, The Creeks, moved toward completion at a meeting of the East Hampton Village Zoning Board of Appeals, but the village’s attorney asked to keep the proceedings open until specific information was provided about fixes to the outstanding violations. At issue are several projects at The Creeks that were made without approval and violate the town code, including the enlargement of a small synagogue, clearing of thousands of feet of wetlands and building too close to the wetlands. The battle, which began in 2012, will continue at the board’s March 9 hearing. [EHS]

Historic Sag Harbor mansion cuts $4M from price in under two months
The 185-year-old Nathan P. Howell estate on Main Street in Sag Harbor has seen its asking price cut by $4 million in less than two months, with another $1 million reduction last week. Originally listed for $18.75 million in June, the renovated Italianate mansion is now available for $14.75 million. The 10,000-square-foot house has seven bedroom, eight and a half bathrooms and an elevator. The 1.1-acre property has a pool, climate controlled garage and an artists studio. Mark Baron, Jane Babcook, and Eve Gianni of Brown Harris Stevens have the listing. [Curbed]