One politician, two hats, no conflict?
Richard Schaffer, Babylon Town supervisor, starts his duties right away during a board meeting in Lindenhurst. (Jan. 3, 2012) Credit: Jessica Rotkiewicz
The newly appointed supervisor of the Town of Babylon, who also happens to be a former supervisor, said it himself on Tuesday: It felt weird to be coming back to a job he once held. We think it's weird too, but for a different reason: While Richard Schaffer serves Babylon as supervisor, he'll continue to be the Democratic county chairman.
As Schaffer knows, his dual roles could conflict. Suppose County Executive Steve Bellone -- one of Schaffer's proteges, and his successor as supervisor in 2002 -- decides Suffolk can't afford major repairs to a key county road in town. Would the Suffolk party chairman use his influence with legislators to back the executive's fiscal prudence, or would the supervisor buck the county? If the town board wanted to join a lawsuit against the county over excessive odors from the county's Bergen Point sewage treatment plant, whose side would Schaffer take?
Two decades ago, we wrote regularly about the two-hat life of Joseph Mondello, who served as both Nassau County GOP chairman and Hempstead presiding supervisor. Now there's a two-hat leader in Suffolk. Schaffer says that, if he's faced with a choice between his county and town roles, his first priority would be what's best for Babylon taxpayers. It would be better if he hadn't put himself in the position of having to make those choices. But he has -- as he did for two years the last time he was supervisor. We hope he decides prudently, and if he finds the conflict too tough, we hope he doffs one hat.
