Suffolk Dems' Schaffer comes out swinging against challenger

Daily Point

'Icky' Suffolk Democratic leadership battle about to get legal?

Before Suffolk County Democrats can even take a swing at Republicans in the November general election, their leaders are tearing into each other.

A Tuesday morning Facebook post by Suffolk Democratic Party chair Rich Schaffer put the fight on full blast, accusing Southold Town Democratic Party chair Kathryn Casey Quigley — who is challenging Schaffer for party control — of dividing Democrats in a move that could be illegal.

The challenge to Schaffer's decades-old grip on power has set off infighting, with Schaffer supporters saying he has elevated the party in a region notoriously difficult for Democrats and detractors saying his tenure is just running a jobs mill.

"This was never about reform or principle," the Facebook post states. "It is, and always has been, about personal ambition, ego, and a reckless disregard for the integrity of this process. Their intention was never to ‘unite' the party, it was to sow division for political gain."

Casey Quigley told The Point that the criticism "makes me sad. It's just so icky."

And Team Schaffer's reaction to her grassroots campaign proves that the county party is not functioning democratically, she said. "This is an intimidation tactic," Casey Quigley said. "I presume they must be very worried. ... We may not have the levers of power but we have the people and they're sending a clear message."

As for a possible legal challenge, Schaffer told The Point, "I'll leave the legal matters to the lawyers, but if what they are telling me is true, my opponent's carelessness with the laws of the petitioning process is very concerning."

Casey Quigley announced in December her challenge to Schaffer because of his history of cross-endorsing candidates with the Conservative Party. Last week, she submitted 404 petitions for people seeking a Suffolk Democratic Party committee position. There are 2,140 committee positions countywide and Casey Quigley has faulted Schaffer for not filling about 65% of those slots.

One source told The Point that Casey Quigley filed on Friday at least four general objections to Democratic Party committee people loyal to Schaffer as a procedural move to gain more time to examine their petitions for possible irregularities like missing signatures. That move gave Casey Quigley an additional six days to file specific objections to petitions. Another Suffolk Democratic Party source told The Point that Casey Quigley's general objections were a sneak attack that raised a red flag, contending her paperwork was incomplete.

Casey Quigley said she isn't targeting Democratic elected officials who serve on the committee or longtime committee members, but a Democratic Party source said Casey Quigley's challenges include State Sen. Monica Martinez (D-Brentwood), who is the Islip Town ED125 committee member.

The Facebook post adds that Team Schaffer has sent letters of preservation to Casey Quigley and others, adding that her challenge is "a complete farce" that might be fraud, "according to our attorneys." No specifics were mentioned.

"In the days ahead, our opponent may attempt to distort the facts and shift the narrative," the post continues.

Casey Quigley, though, said Schaffer's response shows why some Democrats want a leadership change. "The whole reason people are so responsive is because they want the Democratic Party to function fairly, transparently and with a lot of integrity," she said. "This is just absolutely emblematic of the problem."

One town Democratic Party leader said the problem is Casey Quigley's ambition to run the party.

"This has been a character assassination of Rich since the very beginning," Brookhaven Town Democratic Party chair Anthony Portesy texted The Point. "And now the ugly underbelly has been exposed for what it is: cheap parlor tricks and ego driven vanity. It was never about democracy or whatever nonsense she has peddled to gaslight these volunteers."

The vote for Suffolk's Democratic Party chair will take place between Sept. 17 and Oct. 6.

— Mark Nolan mark.nolan@newsday.com

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Final Point

Proposed Tier 6 reforms get bipartisan support

There's at least one hot Albany issue on which Nassau County Executive and Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman is not directly and forcefully attacking his opponent, Gov. Kathy Hochul: reforms to the pension system's Tier 6.

In the final days of state budget negotiations, the supposed need to "fix" the pension system's Tier 6 — the level given to any public employee who was hired on or after April 1, 2012 — remains a key priority. Most Democratic or Republican elected officials across state government have either spoken in favor of the fixes — or remained mum. The "reforms" are, after all, widely promoted and supported by the state's all-powerful unions, led by New York State United Teachers. In The Point's efforts to contact a variety of local elected officials, meanwhile, just one expressed concerns about the proposed changes.

Last month, Gov. Kathy Hochul joined union leaders in a rally in favor of changes to Tier 6. Proposed reforms would make pensions for newer employees more lucrative by lowering contribution levels and retirement age requirements. And, for police and fire employees, revising pension overtime calculations.

"I'm fighting for a fairer pension plan because it's essential that we continue recruiting people," Hochul said at the rally.

Any changes to Tier 6 could cost taxpayers — since local governments, including counties, towns, villages and school districts, would have to make up the difference to allow the pension system to remain fully funded. Long Island taxpayers, with their many levels of local governments, would be top among those having to dig deeper into their pockets.

Nonetheless, when asked whether he supported the "Fix Tier 6" effort, Blakeman didn't say no — and didn't criticize Hochul for her advocacy.

"Tier 6 is a complicated issue that should be part of the collective bargaining process," Blakeman said in a statement. "I have had four years of labor peace without raising taxes. As Governor, I will strike the same balance between fair wages and benefits for our workers and protecting our taxpayers."

Blakeman's talk of "four years of labor peace" also seems to forget his battle with the Civil Service Employees Association over health care coverage and costs. That fight led the CSEA to choose not to endorse in the race for county executive last year.

But Blakeman isn't the only Republican to either remain mum on Tier 6 or to come out in favor of the changes. Hempstead Town Supervisor John Ferretti told The Point that he favored "any types of modifications to allow for fair and equitable retirement for all ... of our government employees."

"We need to make things equitable for Tier 5 and Tier 6. I'm supportive of that," Ferretti said.

Ferretti said he recognized those changes could come with added costs.

"Through smart budgeting, we'll make sure we hold the line on property taxes or cut property taxes, despite increased costs," Ferretti said.

Islip Town Councilwoman DawnMarie Kuhn has been a particularly vocal advocate of the changes, posting on social media about her attendance at the Albany rally, and also gathering with other supporters at another rally last week, closer to home, at Suffolk County Community College's Grant campus in Brentwood. Joining her at that latest rally were Suffolk County Legislature Presiding Officer Anthony Piccirillo and several Long Island Republican state lawmakers, including Assembs. Joe DeStefano and Doug Smith and State Sens. Jack Martins and Mario Mattera.

They were joined by state Comptroller — and Democrat — Tom DiNapoli, who's also up for reelection this year.

It's unclear how much the Tier 6 changes would cost each county, town, village and school district. But recent estimates indicate the reforms could cost $1.5 billion annually across the state — including $407 million to local governments outside of New York City and $480 million for school districts.

In The Point's effort to reach out to local officials, just one expressed concern about the changes to Tier 6: Islip Town Supervisor Angie Carpenter, who is term-limited and cannot run again.

"They came up with Tier 6 because the system as it was, was not sustainable. In order to protect the pension system for everybody already retired and those who were going to be retired, [the system] needed to be tweaked," Carpenter said. "Now, the message is, be careful what you wish for because you're not going to be able to sustain it now, either."

Carpenter said she has already discussed the proposals with her town comptroller, who said the changes could cost approximately $1 million to $1.5 million each year.

"That would be a problem. We can't keep dipping into reserves and we don't want to raise taxes and people don't want us to cut services," Carpenter said. "So what do we do? It's a dilemma ... Of course it concerns me."

— Randi F. Marshall randi.marshall@newsday.com

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