County Exec Candidate Says Government Matters

Suffolk County Executive candidate Steve Bellone (D-Babylon) addressed the on Tuesday night as part of his campaign, discussing his vision of a more efficient and cohesive county government.

“My prime focus is efficiency,” Bellone said. "We need to get people back to thinking that goverment matters."

Bellone said the county is in rough shape. Suffolk County is in debt over $1 billion. He said he plans to tackle many severe issues before anything else, but the mismanagement of the Suffolk County Police Dept. is at the top of his list.

According to Bellone, Suffolk County Police Dept. academy officers have to go around to local hospitals asking for donations of defibrillators because there is not enough money to purchase them. Bellone said this is a classic case of fiscal irresponsibility.

The SCPD pays its officers some of the highest salaries in the nation, yet Bellone reported they are risking the safety of citizens by being chintzy. He said the probation department reclassified criminals from high risk to low risk offenders. Why? Because low risk offenders don’t require monitoring and the probation department doesn’t have to lift a finger or contribute a cent.

Bellone said, if elected, he will get the SCPD back to worrying about one thing: fighting crime.

Community was also a highlight of Bellone’s campaign. “Community is important,” Bellone said. “The government should help provide incentives for improvement and support community efforts.”

He advocated a cooperative relationship between the community and its government. Bellone said he is a firm believer that listening to the public can make a government more efficient. “My father told me that wise people listen to other people,” he said to a packed out audience. “I need to hear from the people and I like to listen to the public.”

So far in his 10 years as Babylon town supervisor, Bellone showed what listening to the public can do. He cut town debt 20 percent and cut the size of the town government by 50 percent. Taxes were only raised $15 more a year since he took office. Bellone said he plans to bring the same principles to the table if elected as county executive without stressing taxpayers.

“I will always go to the taxpayer last,” Bellone said.

Bellone did not have any specific plans for Bayport- Blue Point, but he said Islip Town could definitely use some improvement in terms of beautification and relief of economic woes.

 “We have a lot of challenges,” he said. “But I look forward to working with Bill Lindsay.”