Gordon Heights race highlights fire district elections

Opponents of Gordon Heights fire taxes -- Long Island's heftiest -- won another seat on the district's board Tuesday.

Residents in the Suffolk community and across Long Island voted in more than 150 special districts commissioner elections, with most voting taking place in roughly 130 fire districts. Races were also held in sanitation and water districts.

Long Island's fire district commissioners collectively control more than $300 million in public spending. The commissioners set tax rates that vary widely throughout the island, with average tax bills ranging from less than $200 per year to about $1,500.

Gordon Heights has the highest fire tax bills on the Island, averaging about $1,500. Anti-tax insurgents who want to dissolve the district held a 3-2 majority going into the election. It was not clear Tuesday night how the new command will alter the taxing structure.

Attempts to reach winning challenger Phillip Gordon and losing Commissioner Carter Brown were unsuccessful. Commissioner James Kelly, who supports keeping the district, said it has done a laudable job of trying to trim costs, but the area's lack of commercial properties necessitates higher taxes.

"The board has done a great job limiting spending," Kelly said before the polls closed.

Commissioners in many district races ran unopposed, but some districts had busy and heavily contested elections:

In early results, Islip Terrace's race saw former chief Peter Peluso winning a seat against Robert Moon, who volunteers for a different department.

Peluso said his primary goals were "to just be fiscally responsible for the taxpayers and try to keep the taxes down, and try to have proper equipment to protect our fire district."

In the Lido and Point Lookout Fire District, Greg Naham, a real estate consultant with no connection to the district, won an open seat against two longtime department members.

In Brentwood, firefighter Edward Bright beat incumbent Commissioner Michael Poveromo.

In Meadowmere Park, challenger Ruth Samuelson defeated incumbent Commissioner Roger Vargas.

Coram challenger James Brown unseated Commissioner Steven Yalamas in a race that also included James Dunne.

North Merrick's busy race saw Joseph Vicario defeat Oscar Thompson for a two-year term, while Gregory Smith defeated Scott Sabel for a one-year term.

Bayport firefighter Michael Padilla lost to fellow fireman Glen Baillargeon.

Jason LaCombe beat William D'Alessandro in West Hempstead.

Commissioner Donald O'Brien defeated Robert J. Devito in Manhasset-Lakeville.

Roosevelt Commissioner Wayne Nelson beat John Buck.

Bellmore incumbent John Johnstone beat Robert Taylor.

In Hauppauge, incumbent Michael P. Mooney defeated challenger Roy Woods.

Ralph Preziosi beat James A. Campbell Jr. in West Babylon.

Riverhead Commissioner Dennis Hamill ran successfully against Kevin Barty.

Shelter Island commission chairman Andrew Steinmuller beat John Beresky.

Incumbent John Crowley beat Jerry Leigh in East Islip.

In New Hyde Park, James Nagy defeated Vincent LaPorta.

Fire district commissioners do not collect salaries. Residents also do not vote on budgets, which the boards of commissioners adopt.

Turnout in the fire district elections is often low, with fire department members doing much of the voting. Some districts reported lower than average turnout because of Tuesday's snow.

After a 2005 Newsday series revealed excessive spending by some fire districts, state laws mandated more transparency in district operations -- including having most district elections on the second Tuesday in December. A handful of barrier beach districts in Suffolk are allowed to hold elections in July.

With Sophia Chang, Denise M. Bonilla, Sarah Armaghan and Aisha Al-Muslim