Suffolk bill capping nonprofit pay with contracted firms dies after months of hearings and tweaks

A controversial bill aimed at curbing salaries for executives of Suffolk County-contracted nonprofits effectively died Tuesday after the legislation failed to advance out of committee.

Under the bill, which was subject to several contentious public hearings and rounds of revisions, the county would no longer contract with a nonprofit if any employee earns more than the New York governor’s budgeted annual salary, which currently stands at $250,000.

The Suffolk County Legislature's Budget and Finance Committee voted 4-2 Tuesday to table the resolution, allowing it to expire at the end of the month. The bill’s sponsors, Legis. Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) and Legis. Trish Bergin (R-East Islip), said the bill is now dead. They cast the two votes against tabling and Legis. Jason Richberg (D-West Babylon) abstained.

"There's a reason why our taxes are so high in Suffolk County and this is it," Trotta said after the meeting. "The legislators are shunning their responsibility."

Neither lawmaker seemed intent on reintroducing the legislation. Asked if there was an alternative bill that could address the issue, Bergin said, "It'll just die anyway."

Opponents characterized the bill as government overreach while supporters said executives earn exorbitant salaries at the expense of taxpayers.

Trotta and Bergin introduced the bill July 30, giving it a six-month window to advance out of committee. A variation of the bill would not be eligible to be reintroduced until the third general meeting following the expiration, which would be April 8, according to the legislature's rules.

Deputy Presiding Officer Steven Flotteron (R-Brightwaters), who chairs the committee, voted to table the resolution.

"It’s like anything in life," he said after the meeting, "do you really care when you get your car fixed if the guy is getting paid a lot, but in the long run he’s really much cheaper and he's doing a better job?"

The bill allowed a waiver process for some organizations with executives above the threshold to continue receiving funding.

Bergin cited Family Service League — which operates social service programs that benefit seniors, homeless and people suffering addiction — as one example of a nonprofit that could receive a waiver since the county would "be hard-pressed to find another organization to fulfill the obligation."

The nonprofit's CEO, Karen Boorshtein, received a total compensation of about $450,000 in 2023, according to its 990 form.

At the Dec. 10 committee meeting, Laura Granelli Gerde, chair of the nonprofit's board of directors, read a statement in opposition to the bill.

"This resolution impairs the ability of these organizations to hire and retain this type of talent and creates a disparate impact between for-profit and not-for-profit corporations," she said.

The committee at that meeting voted to table the resolution, and Trotta said at the time it was to further address the waiver process.

One revision during the process eliminated an earlier provision that would have required contract agencies to disclose their donors.

Bergin had said nonprofits feared the donor list may be used inappropriately. To accommodate those concerns, the lawmakers removed the provision altogether, she said.

By Joe Werkmeister

joe.werkmeister@newsday.com

Joe Werkmeister covers the towns of Southampton, East Hampton and Shelter Island. He is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University and previously worked as the editor of two North Fork community newspapers.

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