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Who's Who?: Possibilities For The November Ballot

Suffolk Life
By:Barbrara LaMonica
05/16/2007

With conventions for the Republican and Democratic parties, at which candidates for the November ballot will be announced, just one week away, some contenders already have confirmed their intent to run for office in the town of Brookhaven, while others have entertained questions about their candidacy, stopping just shy of a confirmation.

It was the November 2005 elections when Democrats took over the majority on the town board after four decades of Republican dominance, but newly elected Brookhaven GOP leader Jesse Garcia said he is confident Republicans will take back seats at both the town and county levels of government.

"We have community-minded, civic-based candidates who are going through an exciting screening process, and we will take back seats and the majority in November," he said. "This campaign is going to be ... a clear fight against [Town Supervisor Brian] Foley's tax increase, and how the Republicans are going to reduce spending for our taxpayers, and crack down on illegal housing, because these have been huge failures on the part of the Foley administration."

In what will likely be a hotly contested race for Brookhaven supervisor, Robert DiCarlo confirmed last week that he will challenge Foley for the town's top spot. Republican sources confirm DiCarlo will be the GOP candidate for supervisor. "I am definitely running and my campaign committee is moving forward, and I believe I'll be the Republican nominee," DiCarlo said. As previously reported, DiCarlo ran in the primary for the post in 2005.

"I don't think Brookhaven Town government is responsive and efficient, and Brian Foley has proven me correct," DiCarlo said. The focus of his campaign is expected to be taxes and spending issues. "Brian Foley has instituted the highest property tax in the history of Brookhaven, and the people of Brookhaven are tired of politicians picking their pockets," he said.

DiCarlo also asserted that after Foley promised to crack down on overcrowded housing, the supervisor has not closed down one illegally rented house. "Not true," countered Foley, denouncing DiCarlo's claim. "We've kept our promises of reform in Brookhaven, and my opponent has a very narrow interpretation of code enforcement, because there is much more to it than closing down housing. We are bringing houses into compliance by issuing more violations which we follow up on to make sure homeowners come into compliance." Specifically, Foley said appearance tickets for violations in the tri-hamlet sector of Mastic Beach, Mastic and Shirley have increased from 150 issued in 2005 to 550 during his tenure.

Meanwhile, Brookhaven Conservative Party Leader Rich Johannesen said he is "personally supporting" DiCarlo. "I cannot say who the party will decide to support until after the screenings [this week] because it is a process," Johannesen continued, "but I do think the Conservative Party will support Bob DiCarlo over tax-and-spend Foley."

Former Town Supervisor and Republican committee member John Jay LaValle said DiCarlo's bid for election will get the supervisor's spot back into GOP hands if voters pay attention to the issues. "There are substantial differences between Bob DiCarlo and Brian Foley," he said. "The current Democratic elected officials didn't reduce taxes, they created a bloated town government, and the facts are the facts. The Foley administration has abused and severely mismanaged Brookhaven Town government, they have increased spending by $20 million, and they like to spin and twist the town and the hard-working residents, but residents are smarter than Brian Foley gives them credit for."

LaValle predicts Foley will align DiCarlo with the old guard in the town. "Brian Foley is going to play it like Robert DiCarlo is another old Republican, when the reality is, he's not a guy who's been involved in town politics," LaValle said, "so he brings a great perspective to the Republican Party and town government."

Serving in the state Senate from 1993 to 1996, DiCarlo currently lives in Stony Brook and runs DiCarlo Consulting.
Another race to watch will be the Sixth Council District. Democratic incumbent Carol Bissonette confirmed last week that she will not seek re-election, but instead will run for the town-wide post of receiver of taxes. Bissonette declined to comment on speculation that she was being forced out of her seat due to differences on issues within the party. "It would be unprofessional for me to confirm or deny that," she said.

So whose name will appear on the Democratic line for the Sixth District? Former town Councilman and Democrat-turned-Republican-turned-Democrat Edward Hennessey is a strong possibility. Hennessey forfeited his Sixth District incumbency two years ago when he ran against Foley for supervisor and lost. Reached for comment, Foley told Suffolk Life: "He is being screened, and this is an opportunity for Ed Hennessey to represent this area. We work well on a number of issues. There is much to do now that Ed publicly supports our reform effort." Foley also noted that the mutual support of a supervisor and his immediate past-opponent "is unprecedented in the political history of this town."

Reached for comment last week, Hennessey confirmed he is screening for a spot on the Democratic ticket. "I had certain sights set on the receiver of taxes seat because it would have been a very nice, soft landing for me, but my calling is in another district," Hennessey said. "I've done quite a bit of work in the Sixth District which Carol continued, and that I may bring to the final act." Hennessey said he was asked two weeks ago by party heads to run for office in November. "The Democratic leadership is on the job and I have this opportunity to work with them," he said.

Other Democrats who screened include Patchogue attorney Jack Fath for the Fifth Council District, and Brookhaven Town Deputy Parks Commissioner William Shilling for the Second Council District.

Brookhaven Town Democratic Chair Marsha Laufer called the Democratic contenders "a slate of really competitive, strong candidates" who are "fiscally conservative and manage money well and wisely." But Laufer is prepared for the backlash by the GOP for the Democrats reinstating town property taxes and increasing spending. "The opponents are going to shout any number of things, but they [Republicans] had a feel-good strategy of going on vacation for two years, and when the credit cards come due, you have to pay the bills. We have mature, responsible government officials with Brian Foley at the helm, and he has set a very sound course where, after two years, the job is just getting started, and the voters will be excited about sending the incumbents back."

Foley's current relationship with Hennessey has become yet another issue even before the campaign trail begins. "Brian Foley either lied to the people of Brookhaven two years ago when he said Ed Hennessey was part of the culture of corruption, or he's lying to the people of Brookhaven today when he calls Ed a fine addition to his team," DiCarlo said. "This is an issue of integrity," added Garcia.

Meanwhile, incumbents confirming their bids for re-election include Republican council members Tim Mazzei, of the Fifth Council District, and Kathleen Walsh, of the Third Council District.

"I am absolutely running for my seat and am optimistic, with the team we have in place, that we will bring back the Republican majority to the taxpayers of Brookhaven Town, and address the important issues of taxes that have been raised by the Democratic majority," Mazzei said. Mazzei and Walsh did not support the tax increase that the town board reinstated this year.

On the Democratic side of the aisle, First District Councilman Steve Fiore-Rosenfeld and Fourth District Councilwoman Connie Kepert are on board. "The Democratic Party is extremely well-organized and together, and we've accomplished a lot," Kepert said.
Fiore-Rosenfeld took office in January of 2004, serving as the lone Democrat on the town board until the November 2005 elections, when Kepert, Foley and Bissonette were elected.

"I hope my public record of service and position on environmental issues, preserving the quality of life and historical quality of our streetscapes finds favor in the First Council District," Fiore-Rosenfeld said. "I have faith in the voting public to see the job the Democrats have done and look favorably upon it."