Islip Town Board

Islip Town Candidates Hafele and Fidelia Blame GOP Town Board Members For Recent Downgrade

Aug

2013

Islip, NY –Ratings Service Standard & Poor’s has officially revised its outlook on Islip Town debt downward from stable to negative, dealing a serious blow to the credibility of the all-Republican Town Council, which has failed to make substantial progress towards balancing the budget over the last two years of their administration. The report, issued on August 22nd, states that the Board’s work has “not been sufficient in closing the budget’s structural imbalance,” and suggests that if the Town Council doesn’t take the issue more seriously, the town will lose its ‘AAA’ bond rating.

“For months, the board was so busy fighting with each other over an obvious power-grab that they failed to notice our bond rating was slipping,” said...| read more ››

Anger, tears as board fire 35, cut Nature Preserve funding

Dec

2012

ISLIP TOWN—Tuesday’s Islip Town Board Meeting was filled with residents imploring the board to reconsider proposed cuts to the 2013 budget. For two hours, dozens of residents asked the board to explore ways to bring back funding for the South Shore Nature Center, the Islip Town Hatchery and the Islip Harbor Police. However, following the comments, the board finalized the trimmed down budget by unanimously voting to eliminate 35 town positions (26 full-time and nine part-time). The reduced spending plan incorporates fewer personnel and diminished town services.

“This is not what we want to do, and this has been the most difficult year of our lives,” said Supervisor Croci. “This is the bitter reality of America these days. I’d like...| read more ››

Despite pleas, Islip Town cuts jobs, programs

Supporters of the South Shore Nature Center

Dec

2012

For two hours, dozens of residents made impassioned pleas to the Islip Town Board to reverse planned 2013 budget cuts and restore town funding for the Islip Town hatchery, the Islip Harbor police and the South Shore Nature Center.

"There are so many lessons for us to learn from there," said Maxine Lu, an Oakdale resident and ardent nature center supporter. "I beg of you, please . . . please save the nature center."

But after public comments ended Tuesday, the board voted, 5-0, to abolish 35 positions in the town -- 26 full-time and nine part-time jobs -- in a move that seemed to seal the fate of the pared-down 2013 budget. The spending plan includes a 28...| read more ››

After questions raised, Islip GOP chairman declines paid post

Oct

2012

The chairman of the Islip Republican Committee on Thursday declined his appointment as a paid legal adviser to the town's planning board, an arrangement critics had decried as political patronage.

Frank A. Tantone, a lawyer the Republican-dominated town board appointed to the $55,000 annual contractual position in May, said that because of Islip's "challenging [financial] times" he would likely volunteer to do the job.

"While I appreciate being selected for such a significant public service, I have notified the town attorney that in light of Islip's looming financial crisis, it sets a better example to donate my services without compensation to help the town through these challenging times," Tantone said in a statement.

In an interview, Tantone, a former...| read more ››