Levy's tactics questioned on sale of nursing home

In a bid to pressure county lawmakers, the Levy administration sent letters to the homes of 896 county workers this weekend warning their jobs will be in jeopardy if the Suffolk Legislature fails to sell the county's Yaphank nursing home Tuesday.

Without the $36-million sale, according to the letter from Labor Relations director Jeff Tempera, "Your job may be abolished . . . or you may be displaced to a lower position" as of Jan. 1.

Separately, County Executive Steve Levy said late last week several thousand more workers, who were not sent copies of the letter, could be moved into lower-level jobs by the county's bump-and-retreat seniority system.

"We have to let people know there is no free lunch," Levy said, defending the letter late Friday. Without the net $20-million cash infusion from the sale and relief of the $8 million to $10 million in operating cost, he said, tax hikes or layoffs are the only option. "And I'm not raising people's taxes by that amount."

The letter comes as lawmakers - after two years of battling - are finally expected to decide this week the fate of the 264-bed complex that bears the name of the late Legis. John J. Foley. Foley was honored because he fended off an effort to privatize the nursing home operation two decades ago.

The letter is only part of last-minute maneuvering on both sides as Levy struggles to amass the 12 votes - though he says he's "very, very close."

Foes, meanwhile, dredged up past state infractions at other nursing homes owned by potential buyer Kenneth Rozenberg and others as they try to explore alternative ways to keep the five-story complex in public hands. And 150 of the 251 nursing home workers also signed petitions in the past two weeks saying they would consider concessions, even though their union, Association of Municipal Employees, has balked at any givebacks, fearing it could set a precedent for the entire 6,700-member union.

Presiding Officer William Lindsay (D-Holbrook) chastised Levy's tactics: "It does not move people in his direction, it just gets people mad. But it will also destroy the weekend of some families who will stay up all night worrying about this stuff." He reassured county workers no layoffs can occur without legislature approval.

Lindsay said he cannot predict how the vote will go and that he's not yet made up his own mind. He says there are a half-dozen hard votes on each side, with another half dozen in play. Among the undecided are Lindsay and Legis. Wayne Horsley (D-Babylon). Sources say others like Jay Schneiderman (I-Montauk) are leaning in favor of the sale, while others like Jon Cooper (D-Lloyd Harbor), DuWayne Gregory (D-Amityville) and Thomas Muratore (R-Ronkonkoma) have spoken against the sale but are still considered in play.

Randi Delirod, a union spokeswoman, said the Levy letters are an unfair labor practice that the county executive has unsuccessfully employed in the past - and a waste of taxpayer money. "It failed miserably in the past just like his governor's campaign. He doesn't learn from his mistakes," she said.

Levy says the sale, the cornerstone of his plan to close the county's budget gap, will stabilize taxes. He also said the sale will allow hiring more police and permit displaced nursing home workers to get the state early retirement incentive as well as local aid to ease their transition - benefits lost if the sale does not go through. Patients will be protected and the care they receive will improve, he said, adding "It's a win, win, win."

Foley backers, however, say the county cares for hard-to-place, long-term patients and provides better care than private operators, who slash staff. Critics also say legislative budget analysts found Levy's estimates of $8 million to $10 million in ongoing annual savings resulting from a sale is really closer to $3.5 million.

Some worry the move is just the start of an endless fire sale of county assets. "If we sell the nursing home this year, what do we sell next year? One of the health centers?" Lindsay asked.