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Brookhaven unions endorse Lesko
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Breaking an 18-year tradition, Brookhaven Town's three labor unions have endorsed Democratic Supervisor Mark Lesko for election to a full two-year term. At a press conference Tuesday CSEA Long Island Region President Nick LaMorte introduced "our candidate, our friend, Mark Lesko." LaMorte said he was "proud to stand" with Lesko, who he said has brought "unity, balance, leadership" to Brookhaven.
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| | | Mark Lesko accepts the CSEA endorsement as union personnel look on, including, clockwise around the supervisor, Nick LaMorte, Bill Walsh and Meg Shutka.
Photo by Lee Lutz (click for larger version) | |
LaMorte said the last time the CSEA endorsed a Democrat in the supervisor's race was Dick Blakesley in 1991. Brookhaven's unionized workers are represented by white collar, blue collar and Highway Department units. Representatives of all three stood behind Lesko and their union leaders on the steps of Town Hall.
Lesko said his "most important relationship is with the CSEA." He commented that his mother-in-law was a longtime CSEA member in Southold Township and she would be most pleased to hear of the endorsement. Lesko noted the poor economy facing Brookhaven when he added, "If we all pull together we'll get out of this economic mess."
Lesko's Republican opponent in the Nov. 3 election, Marty Haley of Miller Place, said earlier in the day Lesko's proposed 2010 operating budget would force the supervisor to lay off town workers next year.
Lesko denied Haley's assertion and said, "Layoffs are drastic, the cut of last resort." He went on to say "Marty does not seem to be limited by facts," claiming that his opponent's assertion as well as Haley's accusation of an ethics violation by the supervisor were not based on accurate information.
Haley said Wednesday he was never invited to screen before the union leadership. "A lot of these deals were cut even before I was nominated," Haley said.
Meg Shutka, the white collar president and a 30-year town employee, said Lesko "reaches out to us almost on a daily basis," contrasting that with both former Democratic Supervisor Brian Foley and his predecessor, Republican Supervisor John LaValle.
Blue collar President Bill Walsh, husband of Councilwoman and Deputy Supervisor Kathy Walsh (R-Centereach), called Lesko "the best thing that ever happened to us." Walsh said he did not view the union's endorsement of a Democrat as a shift. "We always looked at the people, not the party," he said. As an example he recalled in 2007, except for Republican Town Board candidate Kathy Walsh and Republican supervisor candidate Ed Hennessey, his union endorsed "every Democrat running."
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