Suffolk Democrats get surprise 'thank you'

Suffolk's GOP Comptroller Joseph Sawicki robocalled residents, thanking Democratic lawmakers for backing a November referendum to merge his office with that of the treasurer.

The unusual calls went out 10 weeks before Election Day in the districts of freshman Legis. Alfred Krupski (D-Southold) and Rob Calarco (D-Patchogue). Krupski said: "If we can save $800,000, we have to do something."

Carlarco, expressing surprise, said: "I guess I appreciate the comptroller's support." But GOP minority leader John M. Kennedy Jr. of Nesconset said: "As someone who has served in the Republican Party for 30 years, I'm quite frankly shocked."

“This is not a Democratic or Republican issue, but a taxpayer issue,” said Sawicki, a former Southold GOP chairman. “I did the robocall thanking legislators for standing up for taxpayers and to set the record straight in response to the inaccurate, misleading and anonymous robocalls” made before the vote.