Letters: Challenging times in Suffolk gov't
Suffolk County Executive Steven Bellone at Farmingdale State College. (Jan. 20, 2012) Credit: Steve Pfost
The Latino community has witnessed the recent firing and layoffs of Latino leaders in the Suffolk County government with dismay and trepidation ["New chief for youth bureau," News, Feb. 28].
Lou Medina, director of the youth bureau; Mel Guadalupe, director of minority affairs; and Ed Perez, director of community relations, have all been let go by new County Executive Steve Bellone. That leaves but one high-ranking Latino in our current administration, Luis Montes, an assistant deputy county executive charged with lobbying state government and performing outreach to the Latino community.
Our community has been through the mill during the difficult years of former County Executive Steve Levy's administration, including the problems with police under-investigating crime, as well as the hate crimes culminating in the murder of Marcelo Lucero.
How is this progress for the representation of the Latino community? How is this responsive to the needs of our growing community?
The recent purge of Latinos in our administration is disappointing and appears discriminatory.
Cathy Carballeira, Port Jefferson Station
There comes a time when a political leader must take the bull by the horns to correct the errors of judgment by previous politicians. This is the challenge faced by County Executive Steven Bellone ["Suffolk OKs emergency borrow," News, March 14].
He wisely had a financial assessment done, and the results were not pleasant. County finances will become more unpleasant in the next few years, as larger pension payments loom. The unions are not to blame. They took what they were offered in collective bargaining, and I would too.
Now Bellone will have to make some tough decisions: Either cut the payroll or benefits, or both. Lag payrolls are a ruse. The county only defers payment to another time.
My suggestion is to avoid reducing the workforce by reducing the hours and pay of each worker. Why not have the entire workforce work four days a week and get paid for four days a week? No overtime at all, except in an emergency. Or why not work five days one week, and four the next week, with a proportional reduction in pay?
The county would save money this way, and when the economy is on its feet, the county could consider adding back that extra day.
Joe Fritz, Brentwood
Editor's note: The writer is a former Brentwood school board member.
