Democrats let Long Beach down, not NYS Majority Senate Leader Dean Skelos

As a former resident of Long Beach and Point Lookout who has resided in Rockville Centre for six years, I have had the privilege to call NYS Majority Leader my state Senator for almost two decades. I have witnessed Senator Skelos and Assemblyman Wiesenberg work across the political aisle to obtain state monies for parking lot construction in the West End of Long Beach, equipment for volunteer Fire fighters while protecting our local school's state aid.

Let's examine the very premise of Newsday's July 11,2012 editorial ("Skelos let Long Beach down" - July 11, 2012) - did Senator Skelos let Long Beach down?

Initial analysis of Long Beach's fiscal situation assigns responsibility for more than $4.45 million of the current $10 million budget deficit at the feet of the Democrat City Council recently elected in November 2011.  During their first six months in the Long Beach City Council, Democrats hired more than 15 of their political supporters, family and friends to City Hall costing Long Beach taxpayers more than $1.1 million. The new administration fired numerous employees to enable hiring their political supporters, family and friends. The true cost of resignations, layoffs and dismissals required the City of Long Beach to pay-out unused sick time, vacation time and additional compensatory time at a cost of $2 million.  

Residents of Long Beach have become increasingly uneasy and alarmed with the City Council's unnecessary meddling and politicization of the city's Police force. The new administration hired Mike Tagney as Police Commissioner at a salary of $185,000 annually despite the fact that New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly only earns $162,800 a year.

It has been alleged that the new administration provided the Long Beach Police Benevolent Association (Long Beach PBA) President with a promotion to Lieutenant, then another promotion to Detective, then yet another promotion to appoint him head of the Detective division while simultaneously approving a shady, secret taxpayer deal worth over $108,000. Then it was disclosed that the new Democratic City Council approved an additional $25,000 award to settle a four month old frivolous lawsuit. Is it a coincidence then that the Long Beach PBA then endorsed, supported, donated and campaigned for Democrats Adelson, Torres and Mandel in November 2011?

Upon being elected to the City Council, City Council President Fran Adelson accepted a secret $20,000 taxpayer funded award from the City's taxpayers just three weeks before she was sworn into office in January 2012. This secretive award came after Adelson claimed she slipped and fell on "sand that had been swept onto the boardwalk." Slipping on sand in the City by the Sea? Who knew that slipping on sand in Long Beach assuming you are a machine Democrat running for City Council would provide such a hansom return. Additional questionable expenses allegedly include authorizing another $15,000 of taxpayer money to Harris Beach law firm that employs former Nassau County Executive Thomas R. Suozzi.

Still believe Senator Skelos let Long Beach down?

Senator Dean Skelos was wise in not sponsoring the float of municipal debt in the face of such questionable and irresponsible decision making. While it is unfair for the residents of Long Beach to have to absorb higher taxes in this difficult economy, it would be irresponsible to not hold Long Beach Democrats responsible for their questionable governing.

It is not and never was Senator Skelos's role nor any other elected state public official to bail out the City of Long Beach and subsidize possible political corruption, financial ineptitude and public irresponsibility as recently observed in the City of Long Beach.