Candidate angry about Islip policy on campaign signs

Republican Legis. Tom Cilmi, of Bay Shore, above, says that Town of Islip Democratic officials seized his campaign signs that had been placed on supporters’ private property. Cilmi said town workers have taken down one of his 4-by-8-foot signs along with about 20 to 30 smaller lawn signs.

“I submit to you it is beyond improper. . . and probably illegal,” Cilmi wrote in a letter to Town Supervisor Phil Nolan. Cilmi criticized sending town workers to remove signs as a “gross misuse of taxpayers’ dollars at a time when there are many other priorities.”

Nolan’s top aide, George Hoffman, said there is a town code that doesn’t allow signs on public rights of way. “We have piles of signs from all parties . . . in a heap at the three Department of Public Works [yards]. The option is to ignore the law or enforce it fairly,” he said.

Nolan said the town took action in response to civic associations upset by the proliferation of illegal signs on poles and the litter they cause. He said he sent letters to all political parties, informing them of town rules about signs. Of Cilmi’s protests, Nolan said, “The county is burning, and Nero is fiddling, spending time on signs. He should have something better to do than that. He need to straighten out his priorities.”