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Republicans: Mazzei's Our Guy

Supervisor candidate announces intentions with help from friends

News from North Shore Sun
by Grant Parpan
12/19/08

One week ago, Brookhaven Republicans appeared split on their next candidate for town supervisor. But on Tuesday, before a large crowd in front of a Blue Point elementary school, nearly all the party's current local elected officials stood united to announce who they think that candidate should be.

"It gives me great pleasure to introduce the next Brookhaven Town supervisor, Tim Mazzei," said Sen. Ken LaValle, who emceed Tuesday's official announcement of Mr. Mazzei's candidacy.

The party nominee cannot be made official until after the GOP hosts its nominating convention in January, after current Town Supervisor Brian Foley steps down to accept his post in Albany as a newly elected state senator.

Mr. Foley is expected to resign Jan. 6. At that point, acting supervisor Jim LaCarrubba, currently Mr. Foley's deputy, will be responsible for setting the special election, which must be held within 60 to 90 days of Mr. Foley's resignation.

Mr. Mazzei, a fourth-term councilman who was initially appointed to the board in 2003 and has served as majority leader this year, said he would look to cut taxes and reduce waste as supervisor. He also said he hopes to help the town through tough economic times and to "be an advocate for the taxpayer."

"In my experience, I've seen how government in Brookhaven works and how it works not so well, quite frankly," Mr. Mazzei said. "We need to fix that."

Mr. Mazzei, 54, said he intends to work across the political aisle as supervisor, something he accused Mr. Foley of not doing.

Not surprisingly, local Democrats see things differently.

Brookhaven Democratic chair Marsha Laufer told the Sun last week that she believes Mr. Mazzei, who has often been the GOP spokesperson in contentious debates with Mr. Foley, has a record of serving the interests of his party and not the people.

"Tim Mazzei represents the past," Ms. Laufer said. "He has been there and sat on this board while the Republicans have taken apart the reforms the previous majority worked so hard to implement. I find it interesting that he would be interested in the supervisor's position since he has stripped a lot of the oversight from the supervisor's office."

The Town Board majority earlier this year removed several town departments -- including economic development and public information -- from the supervisor's office and placed them under the purview of the entire Town Board.

Ms. Laufer said Democrats will not announce their candidate until the party convention. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Lesko is said to be the frontrunner for the nomination. Superintendent of Highways John Rouse also has expressed interest in the job, and is considered in the running for the nomination.

One Brookhaven Democratic insider said the nomination will go to Mr. Lesko, but his employment as a federal prosecutor prevents him from engaging in political activity. He is expected to resign his post within the next 30 days, at which time he can declare himself a candidate.

The Republicans, on the other hand, did not want to waste any time getting their candidate's name out there.

Brookhaven Town Republican Committee chairman Jesse Garcia said he met twice last week with his executive committee members and they decided Mr. Mazzei, who initially rejected the idea of running for supervisor, should be the candidate.

Mr. Garcia caught flack from a Republican club in town and the party's previous supervisor candidate, Robert DiCarlo, who told the Sun last week he thinks Mazzei can't win. Mr. Garcia said Tuesday he believes the party stands firmly behind Mr. Mazzei.

Mr. Garcia said once word broke that Mr. Mazzei was getting the nod, the party felt it was time to begin the race.

"You can't keep these things a secret," he said. "So we just felt like, 'OK, let's get this thing started.'"

Mr. Mazzei's supporters Tuesday -- including the Town Board's three other majority council members, Suffolk Leg. Dan Losquadro (R-Shoreham), Sen. John Flanagan (R-East Northport) and the leaders of the county's Republican and Conservative committees -- touted the councilman as a strong leader with experience as an assistant district attorney and local business owner who would benefit the people of Brookhaven. Mr. LaValle called Mr. Mazzei a "renaissance man."

"We need someone who will run this town as a business," said Mr. Mazzei, who aside from running his own law practice also owns a restaurant. "We need a businessman."

Councilwoman Kathy Walsh, who herself had been eyeing a bid to become the Republican candidate for town supervisor, said Tuesday she is "very happy to be a part of the team that will be supporting Tim Mazzei as town supervisor."

"Dec. 31 will be a great day," Ms. Walsh said, in reference to Mr. Foley's impending departure from local office, "when we go to Town Hall and take down that banner and give Brookhaven back to the people."