Press Center

March 29, 2010
BTRC Press Release

Brookhaven GOP Town Council Action Against MTA Tax Leaves the Station
Efforts by Bonner, Panico, Mazzei and Keith Romaine Picks UP Steam with Six Other Towns in Suit Challenging Constitutionality of MTA Bailout

BROOKHAVEN, NY - Brookhaven Town Chairman Jesse Garcia today applauded the Town’s Republican and Conservative Town Board members for forcing the supervisor to finally take action against the state to repeal the MTA payroll tax.

“Council members Jane Bonner, Keith Romaine and Tim Mazzei were at the forefront in speaking out against the MTA tax - even before it was forced upon our residents and businesses by the Democratic State Assembly, Senate and Governor,” said Chairman Garcia. “Finally, the fight they - and Councilman Dan Panico - have waged against this job-killing tax is finally being taken up by a majority of Suffolk Towns in the courts to repeal this unfair burden on our residents.”

The MTA bailout mandates a 3.4% tax on the payroll of all employers – including small businesses, schools, churches and local governments. The tax – which unfairly benefits New York City and has not prevented service cuts or planned fare hikes for Long Islanders – will impact the Long Island economy by tens of millions of dollars, and divert millions of tax dollars to pay this bailout instead of being used for local services or prevent property tax increases.

“From the start, Mark Lesko has been a lapdog of the Democratic Party bosses on this issue. First, Lesko fought to approve the Town payment to bail out the MTA and city riders, then he relentlessly attacked the late Councilman Keith Romaine at his last town board meeting this past November for wanting to stand up for our residents against the MTA bailout; and finally, Lesko resorted to chicanery and fiscal sleight of hand to pay the tax against the wishes of the Town Board,” said Garcia.

“Today’s press conference is the latest charade for Mark Lesko. To suggest that he is taking the lead is an outright lie,” Garcia pointed out. “A simple check of the record and anyone can see that it was Jane Bonner and the late Keith Romaine, who with his last breaths, fought Mark Lesko to protect our residents from this unconstitutional tax from day one."

Garcia praised the Town’s Republican State elected officials for their continuing stand against the MTA payroll tax bailout. “Senators Ken LaValle and John Flanagan opposed this bailout from day one, and have been steadfast in their commitment to repeal it. And Assemblyman Dean Murray, in little more than one month, has made this unfair MTA tax a focus of his efforts in Albany as a member of the transportation committee – introducing legislation for its repeal, and calling for a forensic audit of the MTA by the NY State Comptroller in a bipartisan letter signed by Assembly members throughout the MTA region.”

"As for Lesko, I know that the worst of winter is behind us, but I want to remind Mark that it is still a little early for flip-flops," concluded Garcia. “Not only is Mark Lesko a liberal in bed with New York City politicians, the record clearly shows he’s a liar as well.”

At a November Town Board meeting, Supervisor Lesko secretly buried the MTA Tax payment of almost $250,000 in Brookhaven taxpayer moneys in an omnibus resolution without the knowledge of the Republican/Conservative caucus. Lesko’s backroom deal with Albany Democrats came after Republican/Conservative caucus members successfully blocked a direct resolution authorizing the payment at the same town board meeting.