Steve Levy departure raises ire

Only a politician like District Attorney Thomas Spota would deem "the interests of the people of Suffolk County" to have been served merely by another politician agreeing not to run for re-election and to give back ill-gotten funds ["DA casting net in ethics probe," News, March 29]. Spota's actions hardly justify a 16-month, taxpayer-funded investigation, and certainly don't constitute justice.

Maybe we should send Mr. Spota to Libya, since he seems to specialize in obtaining regime change without firing a shot.

Robin Amper

Ridge
 

Full disclosure, I have been a Steve Levy supporter. I worked on several campaigns and expected nothing but good government. I have attended fundraisers but never worked in his government.

I was Steve Levy's driver for his first campaign for county executive. When working on his campaign, I suggested driving him to afford him privacy. Levy had no distractions. It gave him the opportunity to conduct his campaign from the bucket seat of an aging Cadillac. Since I had free cell-phone minutes on weekends. I gave him a free phone, as I drove him from place to place throughout Suffolk County. Steve was appreciative but formal. I suspect that he was reluctant to make close relationships. I felt he needed privacy, not a warm and fuzzy atmosphere. My car was his Sunday office and the situation worked well.

His candidacy took a detour when he had a primary. He won the primary, and then won the election. He became the darling of the policy wonks and mover and shakers who live on the outskirts of government. They were waiting to sell their wares and offer services. His frugality was legendary.

His first term was so successful that he had no competitor in his second term. The tailwinds were blowing, and money was flowing in the coffers of Suffolk County, and improvements and purchases were made with abandon. Suffolk County was running smoothly as long as the economy was churning. Then came the recession, with subprime mortgage problems and the Troubled Asset Relief Program. The Suffolk County economy went bust. Layoffs and lag payrolls surfaced, along with sheriff and police union problems.

Last week the tumble ended with the shock of shocks: the announcement of his not running. In my opinion, his fall from grace was the result of a friend who needed a life raft and used Levy to get what he needed. Without blinking an eye, Levy took the fall and stopped the spiral. He did it with grace and without rancor. Perhaps, to paraphrase Mark Twain, rumors of Levy's (political) death are greatly exaggerated. I wish him well.

Joe Fritz

East Islip

Editor's note: The writer is a former Islip Town Democratic Committee spokesman.