SPIN CYCLE: The economy of Suffolk political hiring

Lawrence Cooley was dismissed last month as Suffolk's $116,000-a-year senior deputy labor commissioner after admitting in a federal trial that he made illegal payoffs to get cheap labor. Now County Executive Steve Levy cannot fill the post, which the Legislature eliminated in amending his $2.7 billion budget. He said he had planned to leave it vacant to save money but hoped Presiding Officer William Lindsay might abolish the "political positions" in his office of ex-Islip Town Board member Chris Bodkin and ex-Long Island Federation of Labor head Jack Caffey. Lindsay said both play a "vital role" processing grants for community service groups, but his office has hired no one since. "I'm not going to lay anyone off in these difficult times," he said. "But if a position becomes vacant, I won't fill it." - Rick Brand