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Tempers flair, after Town Board approves budget
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A new alignment of council members Tuesday approved Brookhaven Town's 2010 operating and capital budgets and defeated several GOP "majority" amendments.
Supervisor Mark Lesko and his Democratic colleagues, council members Steve Fiore-Rosenfeld (D-East Setauket) and Connie Kepert (D-Middle Island), were joined by deputy supervisor Councilwoman Kathy Walsh (R-Centereach) in a series of 4-3 votes.
Total expenditures over all town funds are budgeted at $285 million, including $151.5 million for general fund expenditures. The general fund amount represents an 8.1 percent decrease from the figure originally adopted for 2009. There are no tax increases in the various funds that make up total town spending.
The plan adopted Tuesday also begins to reorganize large portions of town government. Many of the changes reverse shifts implemented by the Republican-Conservative majority that took back control of the town board in January 2008. These include Economic Development and Public Information divisions returning to the supervisor's office; folding the Building Department into Planning and Fire Prevention into Public Safety; creating an Office of Budget and Management and an Emergency Management Office; reorganizing the town's Law Department; and centralizing purchasing and technology in the supervisor's office. A formal hearing to amend Town Code to finalize the changes will be held Nov. 24.
Council members Jane Bonner (C-Rocky Point), Tim Mazzei (R-Blue Point) and Keith Romaine (R-Center Moriches) each introduced amendments to Lesko's plan, primarily aimed at preserving the organizational changes the GOP majority made in 2008. They were defeated when Walsh voted with the Democrats against the measures.
MTA tax fireworks
The most combative moment during the four-hour meeting came after the 2010 budget votes were complete. A "ministerial" resolution, as Lesko described it the next day, transferring $244,120 to pay Albany for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority payroll, a tax only enacted this spring and therefore not budgeted last year, was discussed in work session last Thursday. All seven council members maintain the tax is unfair to Brookhaven and have resisted paying it until now. At the meeting last week discussion led by Lesko focused on seeking alternatives for fighting Gov. David Paterson and the state Legislature on the matter. Lesko said the amount would be paid "under protest" while legal avenues were pursued by town Attorney Karen Wilutis. Lesko has said he believes Brookhaven is being "unfairly taxed as a municipal corporation," since upstate towns and counties are not subject to the same tax. In order to show solidarity, Lesko proposed, and the council members seemed to agree, that all seven would cosponsor the resolution. Finance Commissioner Charlene Kagel had told the council at work session that the tax had to be paid by the end of last week to avoid penalties and interest. A "consensus" of the Council was given to Kagel to pay Albany last Friday.
Tuesday it appeared at first the agreement was honored, since when Lesko said all seven were sponsoring the measure, Resolution 961, there was no comment from other Council members. However, when the vote was called, Romaine cast a loud "no."
"I'm puzzled," said an obviously annoyed Lesko to his colleague. "We discussed this at work session." Lesko then called for a roll call vote, adding, "I ask each of you to do the responsible thing." When Romaine refused to change his vote against, tempers flared.
"The election is over," Lesko shouted to Romaine, implying a political motive in the council member's vote. Mazzei called for an executive session — held outside the public's eyes and ears — quickly approved unanimously. Less than five minutes later the seven returned. Lesko moved to table the resolution — apparently already approved 6-1. The tabling motion was passed 7-0.
Lesko said Wednesday the Town Board will "explore all legal options." Meanwhile, the money already transmitted to Albany is coming from an apparently empty account.
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