Last week, the Republican members of the Suffolk County Legislature came under Island-wide fire for apparently voting “no” on sending a clean water and sewer overhaul initiative to the November ballot for public approval.
Most media outlets, as well as Democratic elected officials, are insinuating that they are against “clean drinking water” and are calling on the GOP majority to “let the people vote.”
But the legislators believe that their delay in sending it to public vote is not about power, but about practice. The vote to recess the public hearing – for now – is about perfecting aspects of the bill in light of uncertain economic times.
Legislator Leslie Kennedy (R-Nesconset) of the Twelfth District discussed with The Messenger her rationale behind the vote and how the issue has been blown out of proportion.
“What people don’t realize is that we didn’t vote to take this off the ballot entirely, we voted to keep it in a public hearing,” said Kennedy.
A Legislature voting sheet obtained by The Messenger indicates that the 10-6 vote, with two absences, was, indeed, to recess public hearing, as opposed to closing it outright.
As also indicated from the sheet, Tom Donnelly (D-Deer Park) of the Seventeenth District was the lone Democrat to vote against it, earning a fraction, or hardly any, of the chagrin of observers from both sides of the aisle that the GOP caucus has.
Donnelly is also likely heading to a competitive race in his Huntington-based district this autumn.
Legislator Kennedy also highlights the bill’s contents, as well as the history surrounding the sewer conversation in Suffolk County.
“I read every bill I get. The word ‘sewer’ is not at all in the bill that sets out to establish the water quality restoration fund,” said Kennedy. “We’re not going to send sewer money to a bill that does not say ‘sewer’ at all.”
Kennedy also criticizes the division of funds proposed in the legislation, in that 75% of the funds will be directed towards Innovative/Alternative (I/A) Septic Systems, 10% dedicated to administrative fees, with just 15% left to, potentially, go to sewers.
“My guess is that the remaining 15% won’t go to sewers,” said Kennedy.
Kennedy also criticized claims of pressure to vote against the bill:
“People are saying we were told to vote against it, we weren’t told to vote ‘no,’ on it. When a bill is good, it withstands the duration and scrutiny of the Legislature.”
Additionally, Legislator Kennedy believes the economic times do not warrant this type of spending, especially given the County’s history of management supposedly “lockboxed” money:
“I have people call my office saying that they can’t afford basic necessities. We have certain seniors who have sold their cars because they can’t afford the gas or the insurance. They can’t afford food or medication, and we’re expected to raise their taxes? If a retiree does not have a pension or some type of post-career income, they’re on a fixed income from Social Security, which is only about $800 per month. These are people we’re saving money by not raising taxes.”
Kennedy has also consulted with economic observers, banks, and private economists. According to them, Kennedy says the economic outlook is dire:
“U.S. GDP is not rising and economists believe it will be underwater next year. If it didn’t look like we were headed for a recession, or even a depression, then maybe we could spend the money on a sewer system, but now is not the time to raise taxes.”
Furthermore, Kennedy said that with the end of federal money from the COVID-19 Pandemic, Suffolk County must learn to walk without fiscal hand-holding from Washington. She referenced the County’s near-bankruptcy before COVID money kept the government afloat.
Regarding the bigger picture, Kennedy is not opposed to renovating wastewater utilities in certain capacities, but is opposed to rushed legislation while also ignoring the County’s fiduciary responsibility to its residents:
“The bills can be perfected and we can set parameters regarding the I/A systems, but we don’t have to rush into it.”
The Messenger also had the opportunity to discuss the matter with Legislator Robert Trotta (R-Fort Salonga) of the Thirteenth District. Trotta’s dissatisfaction with the bills stem more from his lack of trust in leadership in Suffolk County and he believes that attempts by the County to fund the sewers are needlessly complicated.
“We live in the highest-taxed place on planet Earth,” said Trotta, “and they want to raise taxes even more. The Democratic State Comptroller, Tom DiNapoli, for four years in a row ranked Suffolk County dead last in fiscal stability out of all New York’s sixty-two counties. This year, we’re second-to-last. It’s totally mismanaged. I wouldn’t vote for this bill if there was a gun to my head.”
Trotta also criticized the administration of County Executive Steve Bellone (D-Bellone) and his years-long attempts to sewer Suffolk County:
“We’ve already had money allocated for sewers, but he keeps stealing it all. He gave away the store by taking money out of the Clean Water Fund to raise salaries for county unions in exchange for millions of dollars in campaign contributions. I would go to jail if I did something like that if I were still a cop.”
Trotta also said that the money for a county-wide sewer project could be in existence, but because of the fiscal irresponsibility of the Bellone Administration, it’s not:
“He [Bellone] gave away the store by giving the police a $420 million raise, twice the cost of living. If he just increased their wages with cost of living adjustments (COLA), we’d have an extra $220 million to dedicate to sewers.”
Both Legislators Trotta and Kennedy also mentioned the three ongoing lawsuits, all of which concern the fiscal diversions from “lockboxes” perpetrated by former County Executive Steve Levy (D), current Executive Bellone, and the County Legislature. The lawsuits will likely cost the County roughly $500 million.
Trotta mentioned the lawsuit from the Pine Barrens Society against Suffolk County, regarding the County’s illegal diversion of environmental funds that were procured through marginal tax increases:
“That lawsuit will cost us $200 million. Combine that with the $220 million we would have saved if Bellone had done COLA adjustments for the police departments, we’d have $500 million for sewers.”
Additionally, Trotta criticized the Bellone Administration overall:
“The whole Bellone Administration is a joke. This is the same guy who keeps stealing money already lockboxed for sewers. This is the same guy who took three years to fire James Burke, our Chief of Police who met with prostitutes in his police car. I wouldn’t let these guys run a lemonade stand.”
Finally, Trotta also believes that the Bellone Administration’s slowness on sewers is no reason to believe Deputy Executive Peter Scully’s claim that without this legislation, “Smithtown or St. James might never get sewered.”
“Bellone has been in office for 12 years,” said Trotta. “They’ve been announcing sewer projects just for them to keep getting delayed and pushed back. These projects are so slow, it’s a joke. I can’t think of one toilet bowl Steve Bellone has hooked up to a sewer.”
