News

Bellone presses for merger of park police with Suffolk County cops

Mar
19
2014

A proposal to have Suffolk County's parks patrolled by seasonal and part-time officers and transfer 36 existing park cops to the police department would save taxpayers an estimated $13.4 million through 2018, Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone said Wednesday.
The county legislature unanimously passed a home rule message Wednesday night asking state lawmakers to back the legislation, sponsored by state Sen. Kenneth LaValle (R-Port Jefferson) and Assemb. Steven Englebright (D-Setauket).

Bellone said at a news conference at Blydenburgh County Park in Hauppauge he hopes the bill can be passed soon, so the county can save on police department overtime this summer. The county's 2014 budget assumes the transfer would take place on May 1.

"There are going to be...| read more ››

Bellone moves to turn over Amityville clinic to nonprofit

Mar
19
2014

The administration of Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone wants lawmakers for the first time to agree to turn over a county health center to a nonprofit operator and move county workers to jobs in other parts of the Health Department.

The move would put Hudson River Healthcare Inc., a federally qualified health center, in charge of the Maxine Postal Tri-Community Health Center in Amityville.

The proposal will provide net savings of $4.9 million over what it would cost to continue with county staffing, according to a fiscal impact statement.

The county legislature last year voted to allow HRHCare, based in Peekskill, to take over all eight county health centers. So far, the group has taken charge of the Coram health...| read more ››

Mangano, Bellone talk teamwork, redevelopment at LI business event

Mar
19
2014

Having already delivered their state of the county speeches earlier this month, Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano and Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone addressed a crowd of more than 400 business leaders Wednesday at an event billed as the annual State of Long Island.
During the gathering at the Crest Hollow Country Club hosted by the business planning group Action Long Island, Mangano, a Republican, and Bellone, a Democrat, both spoke of the “close” relationship they shared working on regional issues from transportation to attracting new businesses to Long Island.

“Our regional objective is to bring companies in from beyond our borders,” Mangano said. “I would say we really work together rather than compete. I don’t think there’s...| read more ››

Suffolk Pols Raise Tobacco-Buying Age To 21

Mar
19
2014

Suffolk County lawmakers made eastern Long Island the first place in the nation to forbid 19 and 20 year olds from buying cigarettes and other tobacco products starting next year following an intense debate.

The county legislature voted 10-8 late Tuesday night to raise the legal age for buying tobacco products from 19 to 21 within Suffolk, imposing $1,000 fines for retailers that violate the new law.

“This is about preventing addiction,” said Suffolk Legis. Sarah Anker (D-Mt. Sinai), one of the lawmakers who voted for the bill, referring to the hundreds of thousands who die each year from tobacco-related illnesses and the thousands within the 19- to 21-year-old age group who pick up the habit each day for the...| read more ››

Suffolk County approves law to increase tobacco purchase age to 21

Mar
19
2014

The Suffolk County Legislature voted on Tuesday night to raise the legal age to purchase tobacco products from 19 to 21, effective Jan. 1 next year.

The legislation, sponsored by Legislator William "Doc" Spencer (D-Centerport), was approved by a vote of 10-8, with mostly Democrats in the Democrat-controlled Legislature voting in favor of the bill, and all of the Legislature's Republicans voting against the measure.

The bill applies to tobacco products including cigarettes, chewing tobacco and e-cigarettes.

Legislators DuWayne Gregory and William "Doc" Spencer confer with one another during the meeting Tuesday night. Photo by Rohma Abbas
The legislation awaits Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone's signature, which he is expected to do, according to a spokeswoman on Wednesday.

When...| read more ››

Suffolk County raises tobacco-buying age to 21

Mar
19
2014

RIVERHEAD (WABC) -- Some of the toughest smoking and dipping restrictions in the country are going into effect in Suffolk County.

Legislators voted Tuesday night to raise the age for tobacco sales from 19 to 21.

Stores that violate the law will pay a $1,000 fine.

The county could lose more than $400,000 in tax revenue, but the change is expected to save $3 billion in health care costs.

"This will save lives," bill sponsor William Spencer said after the 10-8 vote.

The bill also includes e-cigaretts.| read more ››

Suffolk County Lawmakers Vote To Raise Tobacco Purchase Age To 21

Mar
19
2014

RIVERHEAD, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) — Lawmakers Suffolk County on Long Island voted Tuesday night to raise the age for tobacco sales to 21.

The vote among Suffolk County legislators was 10-8, according to a Newsday report. The minimum age for tobacco sales currently stands at 19.

Last year, New York City became the first large city or state in the country to prohibit sales to young adults.
City lawmakers approved raising the age in a 35-10 vote last fall.
If sellers violate the New York City law by selling to people under 21, they could be fined up to $1,000 for each violation found in a single day and up to $2,000 for a second violation. Retailers could also...| read more ››

Suffolk lawmakers raise age for buying tobacco to 21

Mar
18
2014

Suffolk County raised the age for tobacco sales from 19 to 21 last night, passing a bill with some of the tightest restrictions over cigarette sales in the country.

"This will save lives," Legis. William Spencer (D-Centerport), the bill's sponsor and a pediatric surgeon, said after the 10-8 vote.

The bill restricts stores in Suffolk County from selling cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, herbal cigarettes, rolling papers, pipes, as well as e-cigarettes, to those over 21. The law goes into effect Jan. 1.

New York City late last year passed a similar age restriction, while the town of Needham, Mass., has instituted another proposal, according to the American Lung Association.

After a lengthy debate, in which convenience store owners said their...| read more ››

Bellone: 'Save Our Water'

Mar
17
2014

Curbing decades of nitrogen pollution on the ground and surface waters in Suffolk is a top priority, County Executive Steve Belllone says.

Editor's Note: The following is an op-ed from Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, D-Babylon.

This is the time for action. Recently, I announced the single most important initiative of my administration and what should be the single most important goal for all Long Islanders: curbing decades of nitrogen pollution we have been inflicting on our ground and surface waters here in Suffolk County.

Nitrogen pollution is public enemy number one for our bays, waterways, drinking supply and the critical wetlands and marshes that protect us from natural disasters like Super Storm Sandy.

The scope of the problem is...| read more ››

Calling for safer roadways

Mar
12
2014

While cars sped by on North Ocean Avenue Saturday morning, Assemblyman Edward Hennessey called on New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo to provide funding to make area roadways safer for pedestrians and bicyclists.

“Our roadways are dangerous and we need to slow people down,” said Hennessey, standing at the corner of North Ocean Avenue and Shaber Road, where 29-year-old Melinda Resto was killed after she was struck by a car while walking home from a school event in December 2012.

Resto, said Hennessey, is just one of a multitude of pedestrian and bicyclist deaths that could have been prevented with safer roads. In 2012 in Suffolk County, 41 pedestrians and seven bicyclists were killed. In that same year, 559 pedestrians...| read more ››