Comptroller Taking Off the Gloves

After a record 24 years on the job, Joseph Caputo, Suffolk's sometimes combative and always colorful Republican comptroller, said yesterday he will not seek re-election in the fall, a move likely to set off a scramble for succession.

Caputo's decision pre-empts persistent rumors that party officials he has crossed over the years might try to deny him their nomination this spring.

Caputo, a Shoreham resident, said he told Brookhaven GOP leader Thomas Neppell Jr. of his plans last month. Caputo said his decision came because he will turn 70 on May 16 and his wife and children want him to spend more time at home.

"I've tried to keep the county on an even keel, not borrow money when we didn't have to, and ... keep people honest by screaming 'ouch' if they were doing something wrong," Caputo said.

During his tenure, Caputo battled frequently with county executives in and out of his own party, as well as other officials, including former District Attorney James M. Catterson Jr., a Republican.

Caputo "will always be remembered as a maverick," said Michael Dawidziak, a Republican consultant. "He wasn't always the most successful, but he's one of the guys who defined the independent fabric of Suffolk County politics."

Sometimes, critics say, the comptroller would go far afield. Caputo, a backer of the Shoreham nuclear power plant, for example, once linked anti-nuclear protesters to the KGB, the Soviet secret police. He also once said people shouldn't go to local French restaurants because France refused to allow U.S. bombers to fly over its airspace to get to Libya.

During his 34-year public career, Caputo not only had a record run as comptroller but also ran quixotic races for both county executive and state comptroller. He served seven years as a county legislator, including one year as presiding officer, and for two years was Islip town comptroller.

From a policy standpoint, Caputo said his largest accomplishment was to move the county to self-insurance for its liability coverage and later its employee health plans, a move he said saved Suffolk $36 million in the first three years alone.

But Caputo also had his share of losses. He fought unsuccessfully for years to change the Suffolk County Tax Act to speed up how the county and schools get their property tax revenues from the towns.

In 1987, using the slogan "Put on the gloves with Joe Caputo," he ran a losing Republican and Conservative primary against Michael LoGrande, a Republican who was acting county executive then. LoGrande later lost to Democrat Patrick Halpin.

In recent years, Caputo also feuded with Catterson. Caputo claimed Catterson, then district attorney, threatened him with a grand jury probe because he wanted to audit Catterson's use of federal forfeiture money.

Catterson maintained Caputo was trying to deflect a probe of insurance practices. Yesterday, Catterson, who was defeated last fall, declined to comment on Caputo's decision.

Despite his battles, Caputo remained a formidable countywide comptroller candidate. "In 1994, I ran ahead of Governor George Pataki in Suffolk, and I'm very proud of that," Caputo said.

Political observers say his announcement is likely to bring out a flood of candidates.

"Obviously, Joe has always been a strong candidate," said Richard Schaffer, Suffolk Democratic chairman. "This certainly throws the race in the air. I'll begin my search ASAP."

Leading Republican contenders include Caputo's chief aide, Joseph Poerio, a Brookhaven GOP zone leader, who recently served as treasurer to the committee that opposed the ward system passed by voters last month, and Deputy County

Treasurer Joseph Sawicki, who is also Southold GOP leader. On the Democratic side, party sources say Legis. David Bishop (D-West Babylon) is considering running.

Caputo said the defeat of Catterson, whom he campaigned against, had no role in his decision to leave. "I've made a lot of nice friends and some enemies ... but that's part of the business," Caputo said. "I'll miss the activity ... but now I'll just go out and have a good time."