Flurry of Suffolk campaign-finance bills

Suffolk legislators on Tuesday will begin considering new campaign finance proposals designed to curb the influence of municipal unions and companies that do business with the county.

A bill sponsored by Legis. Edward Romaine (R-Center Moriches) would bar unions and companies with county contracts from making contributions to county candidates.

Another bill, proposed by Legis. Jay Schneiderman (I-Montauk), would limit contributions from county contractors, but not unions.

Both proposals will have public hearings Tuesday night.

County Executive Steve Levy also is introducing a measure Tuesday that would allow candidates to draw from a fund, financed through a fee on county contracts, but only if they do not take contributions from municipal unions or county contractors.

Majority Leader Jon Cooper (D-Lloyd Harbor), meanwhile, is holding out hope that a proposal of his -- to create a commission to recommend a public financing system for the county -- could pass soon. Cooper said his bill represents the most practical solution. He argues that it would be hard for legislators to vote against reforms recommended by a citizens' commission.

The flurry of proposals by lawmakers follows Levy's announcement in March that he would not run for re-election. Levy turned over his $4 million campaign fund to Suffolk District Attorney Thomas Spota, in the wake of Spota's investigation into Levy's campaign fundraising. Levy, a Republican, has declined to detail why he entered into the deal, citing an ongoing investigation.

Legislators and a union official called it ironic that Levy has weighed into the debate.

Levy spokesman Mark Smith said "the public will decide" whether Levy has a place in the debate.

In an interview, Levy charged that municipal unions have stalled past initiatives of his that would have saved taxpayer money, such as hiring civilians to replace higher-paid police officers who work in Police Athletic League programs.

Levy called it a double standard to limit contributions from some businesses, but not unions that have contributed significant amounts to key Democratic and Independence Party legislators. Levy also has accepted labor money; in April 2006, in the leadup to his re-election effort, Levy, then a Democrat, raised $25,000 at a "Labor for Levy" event in Central Islip.

"It's disappointing they [legislators] . . . would ban contractors' money, which is fine, but they won't ban the money from municipal unions, which is their mother's milk," Levy said.

Noel DiGerolamo, vice president of the Suffolk Police Benevolent Association, said, "Maybe if he [Levy] were forthcoming about the issues he's been caught up in and have forced him to cough up $4 million, then maybe he'd have a leg to stand on," in proposing campaign finance reform.

Schneiderman said he focused only on contractors in order to address public concerns there may be a "pay to play" system in the county. Unions, he said, primarily influence the political process by turning out voters at the polls.

Legis. Jack Eddington (I-Patchogue) said banning union contributions would be unfair because businesses without county contracts still would be able to give money. "You would have to go further than unions, but where would it stop?" he said.