Opinion

Editorials

One thing about Suffolk County: Its politics are never boring. 
Legislators always have a lot going on. In the last two years, they’ve voted to set up a grant program to help homeowners convert to high-tech septic systems, establish a 5-cent fee on plastic bags, make it easier to build affordable housing, and take steps toward a major sewer expansion on the South Shore.
It’s what they don’t do that’s frustrating.
The county budget is still out of whack. Murmurs about a state control board have started. Lawmakers complain of proposals from County Executive Steve Bellone but don’t offer feasible specifics of their own. They carp about their lack of participation in the preparation of the budget, the scant time they have to evaluate it and the lack of an open process.
We’re tired of it, and so are voters. 
It’s time lawmakers, especially those in the Democratic majority, use their bully pulpit and be judged by whether they seize it. Angry about being shut out of the process? Speak early and loudly about what you want. Don’t like Bellone’s budget? Offer specific ideas for cuts and revenue. Not happy that you’re not at the negotiating table on union contracts, like the police and other law enforcement deals that expire on Dec. 31? Make your goals clear before talks begin and have an advisory group that can be a soundboard.
Lawmakers should remember: Election results and the mood around the country show there’s more to be gained by standing out than fitting in. Your job is oversight; if you are in the majority, show some leadership.
Other big issues loom. The opioid epidemic continues to mushroom, more rental and affordable housing is needed, and the county has been sued over excessive fees. 
This year could reshape the legislature, with four seats open because of term limits. Some contenders have fresh ideas, and stress the importance of working together. The outcome might not flip the Democrats’ 12-6 majority, but it might send a message.
The people of Suffolk deserve a more dynamic body that works together to make real headway on intractable problems. On Election Day, voters can make that happen, and tell the talkers to go home.

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Suffolk County needs legislators who are willing to act

Editorial: Suffolk needs legislators willing to act

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Albert Krupski Jr. is the only farmer on the Suffolk County Legislature and is the fourth generation of his family to work the land on the North Fork. This gives the Cutchogue Democrat, 57, a distinctive point of view that is of tremendous value. 
Seeking his third full term, Krupski has an unusual district with unique needs that demands a different perspective. He focuses his energies and does his best work on water quality and land preservation. He is a voice both for maintaining the environment and for making sure that the East End’s vital agricultural industry stays vibrant. 
Krupski wants to make sure the county makes good decisions about what land will be turned into open space or preserved for agricultural use. And he wants to create some added density in East End hamlets to maintain a pastoral atmosphere elsewhere. His opponent, 62-year-old Republican and county Board of Elections worker Remy Bell, of Riverhead, is not actively campaigning.
Newsday endorses Krupski.

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Al Krupski to represent Suffolk’s 1st Legislative District

Newsday endorses Krupski in Suffolk’s 1st LD

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Bridget Fleming says she was in the right place at the right time as she served her first term.
That’s because her interest in the environment and water quality dovetailed with County Executive Steve Bellone’s recent focus on nitrogen reduction. The Noyack Democrat helped to remake the county’s sanitary code and establish a grant and loan program to encourage homeowners to replace older septic systems with nitrogen-reducing ones. Fleming hopes the pilot program will expand.
Fleming also secured county funds for economic development and key road improvements such as a $5 million dollar upgrade to the 80-year-old Riverside traffic circle, an important component of the area’s revitalization plan. Fleming, 57, says she’s willing to take and defend unpopular positions. She should. While her continued focus on the environment is needed, her strong voice can bring attention to other important issues. Her opponent, East Quogue resident Heather Collins, 41, is not actively campaigning. 
Newsday endorses Fleming.

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Bridget Fleming to represent Suffolk’s 2nd Legislative District

Newsday endorses Fleming in Suffolk’s 2nd LD

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The 3rd District is among the most distressed in Suffolk County. It needs strong, savvy representation to take on the complex issues of zombie homes, absentee landlords overstuffing houses with tenants, and social services agencies concentrating transient people here.
This is an open seat, as Legis. Kate Browning exits under the county’s 12-year term limit. The legislative aide running her office, Joshua Slaughter, wants to continue their work cracking down on sober homes, getting people into permanent housing and creating incentives for owner-occupants. Democrat Slaughter, 34, who lives in Shirley, gets these issues intuitively; when he was a child, his family lost its home to foreclosure.
Republican Rudolph Sunderman, 48, of Mastic, is a 30-year volunteer with the Mastic Fire Department, where he now serves as chief, and the fire district manager in Centereach, overseeing 80 staff and volunteers. His work brings him close to the streets and he speaks passionately about vacant homes, drug overdoses, squatters and residents who have emergency needs but are afraid to call first responders because they don’t have citizen status.
In many situations, Sunderman would be a terrific choice. He knows the district down to its streetlights and has ideas to encourage homeownership for first-time buyers and veterans. He’s had an admirable career in public service, and we hope he will work with Slaughter to contribute his street-wise expertise.
Slaughter is smart and energetic, and brings skills to begin representing this district at full speed. He’s had 12 years of experience teasing apart the layers of government that aggravate the district’s problems. For example, Slaughter objects to the state Department of Corrections directing ex-inmates with no outside support to specific addresses in the 3rd District. While individuals can choose to live anywhere, dumping too many high-needs people in one neighborhood is unhealthy. Slaughter already understands the nuances and public policies to fix things.
Newsday endorses Slaughter.

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Josh Slaughter to represent Suffolk’s 3rd Legislative District

Newsday endorses Slaughter in Suffolk’s 3rd LD

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Thomas Muratore, 72, is a Republican from Ronkonkoma who is running for a fifth term. The 35-year veteran of the Suffolk County Police Department is a respected force in his district, securing land for parks, fighting illegal dumping and working to help constituents deal with bureacracy. Muratore argues correctly that the county needs to stop frivolous spending and borrowing. He’s also worked to support development like the Arboretum project, a 292-unit community of single-family homes and condominiums in Farmingville slated to break ground next year.
His opponent is Dominador Pascual, 36, a Democrat from Farmingville. Pascual, an attorney who works as a financial crimes investigator, is passionate about bringing jobs to the district and fighting the heroin epidemic. His desire to help is impressive, but he cannot match the knowledge and record of the incumbent.
Newsday endorses Muratore.

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Tom Muratore to represent Suffolk’s 4th Legislative District

Newsday endorses Muratore in Suffolk’s 4th LD

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In nearly six years in the Suffolk County Legislature, Democrat Kara Hahn has successfully advocated for her district — from the environment to multi-family housing. In the last two, the Setauket resident deftly moved to help curb illegal dumping by creating a residents’ parks watch and hotline for reporting unauthorized dumping.
Her challenger, Republican Edward Flood, is a lawyer who is chief of staff to Assemb. Dean Murray. But even Flood, 35, also of Setauket, agrees with Hahn on how to approach several significant problems in Suffolk: The county would benefit from more downtown development; more funds should be allocated so a crucial septic replacement program flourishes; the cost of the county police contract is probably not sustainable in the long run. 
As such, Flood himself makes the case for why voters should return Hahn, 46, to the legislature. We agree. 
Newsday endorses Hahn.

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Kara Hahn to represent Suffolk’s 5th Legislative District

Newsday endorses Hahn in Suffolk’s 5th LD

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Sarah Anker is growing on the job, and that’s a reason for growing attention to her contributions.
Anker, 53, a Mount Sinai Democrat, likes to bring people together to attack problems, whether it’s rundown property or the opioid epidemic. Her budget ideas to have all county employees pay part of their health care premiums and to share services with school districts if they use the savings to lower taxes are sensible. As an environmentalist, she should be more supportive of wind and solar energy, but her district knowledge and intense focus on serving its residents are unmatched.
Republican Gary Pollakusky, 41, of Rocky Point, who owns travel and marketing firms, lacks that granular knowledge. His plan to train residents to help police identify and arrest drug dealers is worrisome and his preference for widespread use of sewers to address water quality problems is unrealistic.
Newsday endorses Anker.

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Sarah Anker to represent Suffolk County’s 6th Legislative District

Newsday endorses Anker in Suffolk’s 6th LD

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Local officials often point to Patchogue when they want to highlight a success story.
But they also could point to Patchogue Democrat Robert Calarco, who has used his three terms on the legislature well. He introduced legislation to encourage affordable housing construction and got funding to build a culvert to clean up Canaan Lake, which is clogged by invasive species. He also wants to continue the area’s resurgence in parts of East Patchogue.
Patchogue Republican Christine Rignola, 49, is a member of the Patchogue-Medford Board of Education. She argues that the district needs a stronger representative, but she has few ideas and has a pinched view of development and the need for rental housing.
Calarco, 38, is smart and savvy, and after six years in office, he should take more of a lead role on the legislature. 
Newsday endorses Calarco.

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Robert Calarco to represent Suffolk’s 7th Legislative District

Newsday endorses Calarco in Suffolk’s 7th LD

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In four years in office, William Lindsay III has proved to be thoughtful and pragmatic. His signature issues are critical to Suffolk’s future. Lindsay, 45, of Bohemia, is a strong proponent of economic development, and favors more rental housing and higher density around transit hubs to keep young adults home. He is also pushing hard for sewer expansion into Oakdale, West Sayville and Sayville to improve water quality and regenerate downtowns.
Republican Anthony Piccirillo, 34, a restaurant manager from Bohemia, also understands the county’s problems but lacks the range of specific proposals to solve them. He acknowledges Suffolk’s shortage of rental housing, for example, but admits that he doesn’t know how to address that.
Lindsay has good ideas on Suffolk’s budget, like trading employee raises for contributions to benefits. We encourage him to become a more forceful voice.
Newsday endorses Lindsay.

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William J. Lindsay III to represent Suffolk’s 8th Legislative District

Newsday endorses Lindsay in Suffolk’s 8th LD

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Monica Martinez, a veteran of the district’s brutal internecine politics, easily fended off a primary challenge from Angela Ramos, wife of Assemb. Phil Ramos. Consider that evidence that Martinez is doing a good job.
In an economically struggling district with gang problems, Martinez, 40, of Brentwood, delivers critical services. A summer camp serves 1,000 kids. Afterschool programs use sports, cooking and mentoring to help children stay away from gangs and drugs. She’s working to get Brentwood and Central Islip connected to a sewer to run from the Ronkonkoma Hub to spur development and improve water quality.
Republican Douglas King, 45, of Central Islip, is a member of Suffolk and Islip Town’s disability advisory boards. He worries about the threat posed by MS-13 gang members, and says after-school programs would keep kids safe. He’s right. But Martinez is working on those issues.
Newsday endorses Martinez.

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Monica Martinez to represent Suffolk’s 9th Legislative District

Newsday endorses Martinez in Suffolk’s 9th LD

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It’s most notable that much of what Thomas Cilmi says about Suffolk’s finances sounds familiar. After all, he has said it again and again as the county’s budgetary woes wear on.
Cilmi, 53, advocates for multiyear budgeting, a more open budget process, less borrowing and spending cuts.
But the Bay Shore Republican also speaks forcefully about other issues, including the opioid epidemic and gang violence. 
Islip Democrat Joseph Tronolone, 32, a high school math teacher, is focused on affordable housing, the revitalization of troubled neighborhoods and finding more education and employment opportunities for teens and young adults.
There’s little daylight between Tronolone and Cilmi on most key issues. Suffolk needs Cilmi’s strong voice, experience and firm grasp of the issues, but Tronolone should speak out on matters he understands well. 
Newsday endorses Cilmi.

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Tom Cilmi to represent Suffolk’s 10th Legislative District

Newsday endorses Cilmi in Suffolk’s 10th LD

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Did you hear the one about the ironworker and the insurance salesman? It’s the story of the race for the open seat in the 11th District.
Democrat Joseph McDermott, 50, in his second term as mayor of Brightwaters, is the ironworker.
Brightwaters Republican Steven Flotteron, 55, a 12-year member of the Islip Town board, owns an insurance agency.
The race is to replace term-limited Tom Barraga.
McDermott was elected a village trustee in 2013 and mayor one year later. Brightwaters since has moved off the state comptroller’s list of villages susceptible to fiscal stress and now has a AA+ bond rating, which let it pass two needed bonds for $3.2 million for infrastructure and canal repairs. He also was part of a board majority that set term limits for village officials to bring new people with fresh ideas into public service, which describes McDermott’s pitch to join the county legislature.
Flotteron has helped improve town parks through grants and donations, like the revitalization of the grounds of Brockwood Hall. He brought to Islip an anti-gang, anti-drug initiative that uses golf to teach resiliency and decision-making skills to at-risk kids.
Flotteron decries Suffolk’s financial state but given his long town tenure is surprisingly short on ideas to fix it. McDermott proposes consolidating jobs and having more employees pay into their health care premiums.
Flotteron wants to end or roll back the county’s red-light camera program, saying it’s a hidden tax. McDermott opts for tweaks, saying it’s important for public safety.
And while Flotteron agrees that Suffolk needs more affordable housing, McDermott’s passion for the topic is palpable when he talks about his ironworker buddies, young adults and senior citizens not being able to afford Long Island anymore.
Flotteron is a political veteran, but Suffolk needs McDermott’s heart.
Newsday endorses McDermott.

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Joseph McDermott to represent Suffolk’s 11th Legislative District

Newsday endorses McDermott in Suffolk’s 11th LD

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If it were up to Leslie Kennedy, Suffolk County would manage its budget using the lessons she taught her four children: distinguish between wants and needs, and be able to say no.
Kennedy, 61, a former nurse finishing her first term, wants to cut spending and limit borrowing. The Nesconset Republican is also fervent about water quality and the creation of high-tech jobs.
Democrat Kevin Hyms, who turns 62 on Sunday, is an environmental chemist and safety engineer from Lake Ronkonkoma. He cares about his community, but lacks specific ideas and knowledge of issues.
Kennedy should continue her attention to constituent services, but should balance her focus on environmental needs with being more open to economic revitalization and development efforts.
Newsday endorses Kennedy.

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Leslie Kennedy to represent Suffolk’s 12th Legislative District

Newsday endorses Kennedy in Suffolk’s 12th LD

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Ask two-term Republican incumbent Robert Trotta what’s wrong with Suffolk County government — and prepare for an earful. He’s upset about budget deficits, generous police pay, poorly placed red-light cameras and fees for mortgages and speeding tickets.
Trotta, 56, of Fort Salonga, is a big thorn in the side of County Executive Steve Bellone and the Democratic majority, questioning many moves. For example, he says the county can’t afford the $1.2 million it awarded to design a music hall of fame in Wyandanch. Lately, the former Suffolk police detective is crusading to limit campaign donations to county politicians by contractors to prevent conflicts of interest.
His Democratic opponent, Colleen Maher, is not actively campaigning.
Trotta’s got a role to play. However, pivoting from bomb-thrower to consensus-builder might achieve his concrete reforms, principally on campaign financing.
Newsday endorses Trotta.

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Rob Trotta to represent Suffolk’s 13th Legislative District

Newsday endorses Trotta in Suffolk’s 13th LD

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Since winning his seat four years ago, Republican Kevin McCaffrey has become a reliable leader of the minority opposition. And his critiques of the Democratic administration of County Executive Steve Bellone cannot be dismissed as partisan rhetoric. Suffolk’s budget does have a large structural deficit, revenue is typically overestimated, and a more open budget process and a balance of power would be better. McCaffrey, 63, of Lindenhurst, cites as a model of interparty cooperation the passage of a 5-cent plastic bag fee rather than a proposed bag ban.
Democrat Claire McKeon, 64, of Lindenhurst, is passionate about youth services. But where McCaffrey says Suffolk needs more rental apartments for young people, McKeon prefers townhomes whose cost is often out of reach for young adults. She’s better suited to her job running Babylon Town’s youth bureau.
Newsday endorses McCaffrey.

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Kevin McCaffrey to represent Suffolk’s 14th Legislative District

Newsday endorses McCaffrey in Suffolk’s 14th LD

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It’s not often that your opponent calls you a “really good” legislator, but such is life for Democrat DuWayne Gregory.
The legislature’s presiding officer, first elected in 2008, prefers collaboration to conflict and has gotten results — like a new mobile app to connect drug users to addiction services, treatment centers and hotlines. A new proposal would have hospitals contact drug users revived with Narcan to offer follow-up treatment. Gregory, 48, of Copiague, also advocates using software to uncover waste and fraud in the county budget, an initiative he says could save taxpayers up to $29 million a year.
Republican Christopher Madden, 46, of Lindenhurst, a warehouse owner and member of Copiague’s board of education, agrees with Gregory on many issues. But he makes a good point that the budget process should be less secretive and would benefit from more public input. Gregory would be wise to listen. 
Newsday endorses Gregory.

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DuWayne Gregory to represent Suffolk’s 15th Legislative District

Newsday endorses Gregory in Suffolk’s 15th LD

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One candidate for this open seat has experience, the other doesn’t. The difference is telling.
Democrat Susan Berland, 56, of Dix Hills, has served on the Huntington Town Board since 2002 and knows the district’s problems. Her approach to the opioid epidemic is wide-ranging — more prevention, education, treatment options, alternatives to incarceration and stiffer penalties for dealers. She wants to reach out to immigrants here illegally for help in rooting out gangs.
Republican Hector Gavilla, 47, a Dix Hills resident who owns a real estate agency, has no elective experience. His core message about making Suffolk more attractive to businesses is belied by his hostility to affordable housing, belief that Suffolk has enough rentals, and insistence that young people can afford houses and want to buy them. And his admitted ignorance about Suffolk’s water-quality issues is worrisome.
Newsday endorses Berland.

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Susan Berland to represent Suffolk’s 16th Legislative District

Newsday endorses Berland in Suffolk’s 16th LD

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The two candidates for this open seat are soft-spoken and even-tempered, and correctly diagnose Suffolk’s problems. Only one understands how government functions and has worked with members of the other party on solutions.
Thomas Donnelly, 51, of Deer Park, a Babylon Town Board member since 2011 and a longtime New York City and Deer Park firefighter, says fixing the county’s budget woes begins with getting concessions from labor unions. A Democrat, he wants the legislature to work in a more bipartisan way in constructing the budget and says he’s better at governance than politics. That’s exactly what Suffolk needs.
Republican Michael Troetti, 63, of Melville, has worked in various top positions in consumer electronics and appliance companies. He has a business perspective on problems but lacks knowledge about how to solve them. 
Newsday endorses Donnelly.

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Tom Donnelly to represent Suffolk’s 17th Legislative District

Newsday endorses Donnelly in Suffolk’s 17th LD

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GOP nominee Dom Spada seethes with frustration about Long Island’s rising taxes and fees, and fears his children won’t be able to stay. He blames three-term incumbent William Spencer in part for Suffolk’s annual budget deficits. 
Spencer, 50, a pediatric surgeon from Centerport, says he and other Democrats have cut county jobs by 10 percent and pared the deficit. But he also admits they should have been more forceful in their oversight role of the police department, questioning the conduct of James Burke, the ex-police chief now in prison.
Spada, 55, an Independence Party member from Halesite and a technical director for MSG Networks, has an impressive public service record as a village trustee, firefighter and speaker against opioid abuse, but cannot match Spencer’s expertise, especially on health issues. Spencer must advocate harder for prudent spending and an affordable police contract. 
Newsday endorses Spencer.

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William Spencer to represent Suffolk’s 18th Legislative District

Newsday endorses Spencer in Suffolk’s 18th LD

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Newsday's 2017 endorsements for the Suffolk County legislature

Newsday

Read all of Newsday's picks for the Suffolk legislature

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