News Roundup

Democrat Dr. William Spencer has won the election to the Suffolk County Legislature’s 18th District over Republican Elizabeth Black by 267 votes after increasing his lead in absentee ballots.

Election officials say that final results have Spencer receiving 8,200 votes, or 50.82 percent, to Black’s 7,933, or 49.14 percent. Spencer increased his lead by 88 votes with the absentees. On election night, unofficial results showed Spencer...read more ››

In a victory speech, Steve Bellone is thanking Democratic chairman Richard Schaffer, saying the campaign he crafted was a "thing of beauty.'

"The voters of Suffolk county have given us a huge victory," he said.

He thanks the Democratic committee, volunteers, and "most important I want to thank the voters of Suffolk County tonight for giving us this mandate....We will make government more efficient, we will make it work so we can...read more ››

The race to fill the seat of term-limited Jon Cooper features two strong contenders: Republican Elizabeth Black, 58, of Huntington village, a retired secondary English teacher who’s on the Huntington School District board of trustees, and Democrat William Spencer, 44, of Centerport, an otolaryngologist who has served as chairman of the Town of Huntington Housing Authority’s board.

Black’s campaign is emphasizing job creation, but her...read more ››

Babylon is offering town residents a tax cut for the second consecutive year, according to the town's tentative 2012 budget.

General fund taxes would increase 9 percent in the proposed $137.2 million budget, but residential garbage taxes would drop 21 percent, with the other parts of the town tax bill -- highway, lighting and part town taxes -- holding steady. This would result in a 4.9 percent, or $3.8 million, overall town tax cut...read more ››