Spin Cycle

Sen. Caesar Trunzo (R-Brentwood), 82, who's served more than 30 years in the post, leaves office Dec. 31 after losing on Election Day to Brookhaven Town Supervisor Brian Foley. Reporter Jennifer Maloney writes about Islip's Democratic supervisor, Philip Nolan, and the town board, making a gesture of respect:

The Democrat-controlled Islip town board today approved a resolution to rename its Brentwood senior center in honor of Sen. Trunzo -- who has also served as chairman of the town's Republican committee.

"We wish him well," said Democratic Islip Supervisor Phil Nolan, after a unanimous vote renamed the facility the "Caesar Trunzo Senior Center".

Nolan said Trunzo's parents had been active members of the center.
As for whether the soon-to-be-retired senator will enjoy any membership perks at the center that bears his name, Nolan said: "Whatever he needs."

With polls opening early tomorrow, political insiders are already looking ahead to the post-election landscape.

Republicans, for example, are already whispering that hard-working first-timer Lee Zeldin 28, a lawyer and Iraq vet (photo, right), would make a strong contender against Legis. Kate Browning (WF-Shirley) next year if he loses tomorrow to Rep. Tim Bishop (D-Southampton).

In Brookhaven, insiders are already looking ahead at the next supervisor race even though Democratic incumbent Brian Foley is still enmeshed in a multi-million battle against veteran GOP Sen. Caesar Trunzo.

Some party insiders say that Foley, win or lose, is unlikely to remain as supervisor. Leading potential Democratic contenders for supervisor are Patchogue Mayor Paul Pontieri and Assenb. Marc Alessi, though both appear reluctant starters.

On the Republican side, town board member Kathy Walsh is the leading contender. Should Foley lose, insiders expect him to move on to either a state job, or a post at Stony Brook University or Suffolk Community College.

And whether or not Trunzo wins, Islip’s 82-year-old GOP leader has already said he will step down from his party post before year’s end. Backers of Trunzo and ailing vice chairwoman Jeanette Messina are touting assistant town attorney Robert Cicale, while mavericks are pushing Frank Tantone.

Rick Brand

Islip’s Democratic Supervisor Philip Nolan came out and endorsed his Brookhaven counterpart Brian Foley for State Senate last week, but Nolan’s support came in a press release, not a full-blown news conference.

Nolan’s muted support may have something to do with the estimated $1.5 million that his town has received in member items from Foley’s GOP foe State Sen. Caesar Trunzo. Among the items Trunzo has funded is a spray water park and an anti graffiti truck for the town.

Nolan, who served with Foley as a county lawmaker, said, “I’ve known Brian Foley for 30 years and I can vouch for his integrity and committment ot working families.”

But Nolan adid come to his fellow supervisor’s defense to deflect GOP attacks on Foley as a “Taxman” in TV ads and mailings. “The fact that Trunzo’s campaign is trying to muddy up the water by smearing Brian’s fine name is shameful and should be stopped immediately,” he said.

Rick Brand

New York’s Independence Party has launched an all-out mail blitz for veteran State Sen. Caesar Trunzo (R-Brentwood), in photo at left, in his re-election bid.

But the state party, which has Trunzo on its ballot line, says it will not disclose how it is financing the mailings or how much it is spending on them until January. Three mailings have already gone out and more are likely, though party officials didn’t give specifics. Party sources say Trunzo is the only Long Island GOP Senator for whom the minor party is doing mail, but sources say GOP veteran Sen. Kemp Hannon (R-Garden City), in photo at right, may also get help.

The tag line on the mailings is “State Senator Caesar Trunzo Independent For Us.” The pieces praise Trunzo for supporting the tax cap, keeping property taxes down, and keeping the cost of living down. No piece solicits votes for Trunzo but invites residents to call the senator at 631-360-3236 and “tell him to keep fighting” for them. Party officials say the mailings are funded out of the party’s housekeeping account and they are “issue advocacy” pieces.

Because the mailings do not urge votes for a candidate, party officials say they do not have to report the fundraising or expenditures until January. Mailings that solicit votes must report their spending and fundraising 32 and 11 days before the election, and 10 days after. “We’ve done everything by the book,” said Frank MacKay, state chairman. But Doug Forand, Senate Democrats campaign consultant, said Trunzo is the minor party’s candidate and MacKay is “jumping though hoops” to “clearly try to evade” campaign finance laws.

Rick Brand

Rick Brand reports on more environmental developments in the Foley/Trunzo race:

The Environmental Voters Forum, a bi-county political action committee, has endorsed veteran Republican State Sen. Caesar Trunzo after the group's officials say that Democratic Brookhaven supervisor Brian Foley walked out of his screening interview.

But the forum’s stand against Foley comes at the same time the New York League of Conservation voters launches its own $175,000 blitz on Foley’s behalf, already sending out two of four planned mailings targeted to 25,000 households plus two TV spots and robo-calls. Amper’s group has no plans to put money into the race but will lend their name to Trunzo’s Senate GOP mailings and ads.

While the forum unveiled most of its endorsements earlier this month, board members held off in the highly competitive Third Senate District--one of several races statewide where the GOP's one-seat edge of the Senate is at stake--until it could personally interview both contenders. Trunzo was interviewed last week, Foley Monday.

Richard Amper (left), the forum chairman, said the political action committee decided.....

Last-minute efforts to get incumbent Republican Appellate judge Robert Lifson the Independence Party line fell apart Monday night.

Despite calls from numerous top Republicans -- including former Sen. Alfonse D'Amato -- Frank MacKay, Suffolk and state Independence Party chairman, said he balked at backing the former Huntington Republican chairman because a long time Lifson ally, Robert Garfinkle of Huntington, had created too many enemies for himself.

While he said he "likes Garfinkle personally," MacKay said that giving Lifson the nomination would have been "disrespectful" to other political officials he has worked with for a long time. Although MacKay would not mention those officials by name, Garfinkle warred with Suffolk Republican chairman Harry Withers until he was forced out as county elections commissioner.

Attorney Garfinkle also incurred the wrath of Suffolk Conservative leader Edward Walsh by representing former Smithtown Conservative chairman Jimmy Tsunis in a lawsuit against the party leader. "It was the political equivalent of horsing around with a hunting rifle and inadvertantly shooting your best friend," said MacKay.

On the Republican ballot in November, Lifson will be third in line under Jerry Garguilo, a close friend of County Executive Steve Levy and a Republican running on the Demcoratic, Conservative and the Independence Party lines. Lifson has the Republican and Working Families Party lines. Islip District Court Judge Patricia Filiberto has only the GOP line, but has the first ballot position.

In addition to Garguilo, the Independence Party, at its convention at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Holtsville, nominated Republican incumbent Supreme Court Justice Kenneth Davis, assistant Suffolk District Attorney Hector LaSalle, and Conservative William Condon.

Rick Brand

Democratic Brookhaven Supervisor Brian Foley says Republican Sen. Caesar Trunzo, whom he's challenging for the legislative seat, has failed to "get out of hiding" and respond to Foley's call for a series of debates.

"While Trunzo has been dodging a real debate with his opponent, he has focused instead on misleading television ads and glossy campaign pamphlets," Foley charges.

Trunzo does, of course, have a campaign going, and on Tuesday, he touted support from New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who nonetheless dropped his Republican registration last year.

To that, Ibrahim Khan, spokesman for the Foley campaign, said: "We're not surprised...given that the mayor has already poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into the Senate Republicans' coffers. It is ironic that the Senate Republicans accuse Democrats of being New York City - centric and here, Trunzo, the poster child of the Republican status quo, is being endorsed by the mayor of the City of New York.”

Full text of the latest Foley statement is below.

Now it’s not only the dissidents publicly calling for Islip Republican chairman Caesar Trunzo to step down as party leader. Assemb. Philip Boyle (R-Bay Shore), a loyal member of the town GOP executive committee, is now saying he is “very concerned his political position could cost him the election” after 36 years in office.

“I think there’s a growing resentment among Republican committee people... toward him because of his... role as party chairman,” he said. Trunzo, through a spokesman declined to comment.

Boyle went public after the town party couldn’t even muster the 2,000 signatures needed to qualify district court candidates Hertha Trotto and Legis. Cameron Alden for the November ballot. Trunzo, 82, also sparked ire in a letter to the town committee last month, blaming critics for “selfishness,” and “destroying our [party’s] heritage.”

Party sources say a growing number want Trunzo to step down by October, but hold a convention after Election Day so that the entire party can unite for Trunzo’s election. Trunzo is facing his toughest re-election in decades against Brookhaven Supervisor Brian Foley, a key battle in the GOP Senate’s bid to keep to their slim two seat majority.

Rick Brand

The Appellate Division in Brooklyn today affirmed a Supreme Court ruling to toss Legis. Cameron Alden (R-Islip) and Judge Hertha Trotto from the GOP ballot for Islip district court judge.

The two will not seek to appeal the case to the state Court of Appeals, said Alden, who will leave the legislature after 2009 because of term limits.

The Supreme Court found last week that 44 of the 2,020 signatures submitted by the Islip GOP were not valid, leaving Alden and Trotto, an 17-year incumbent from Holbrook, 24 short of the 2,000 valid signatures needed to qualify.

Alden, who cannot seek re-election to the Legislature because of term limits, said he will appeal the decision to the state Appellate Division next week.

Jennifer Henry, who has the Democratic, Conservative and Independence party lines, will now also be the GOP nominee.

Reid J. Epstein

This is the week of the broken alliance.

So on Wednesday, as noted here, the state Working Families Party, which went all out for the Eliot Spitzer-David Paterson ticket two years ago, launched an advertising assault against the new governor’s proposal for a 4 percent cap on school-related property tax increases.

“Tell David Paterson,” urges the narrator of one ominous 30-second spot, “hurting schools is the wrong answer.”

Despite this verbal whack, the minor party is backing a number of candidates this fall who support the cap. And it is too late in the election calendar for WFP to cancel endorsements for lawmakers who voted for it.

“This is a disagreement on principle between us and the governor. It’s not the first, and we had them with Spitzer as well,” said Dan Cantor (left), the party’s executive director. “If the governor continues to drift away from working families, he’s going to keep hearing about it from progressives like us.”

When money gets tight, coziness becomes the first casualty.

On the heels of last week’s Senate vote for the tax cap, the 600,000-member New York State United Teachers broke from past practice and refrained from endorsing the Senate Republicans, who backed the tax-cap.

NYSUT president Richard C. Iannuzzi ....

Dan Janison

Republican candidates Cameron Alden and Hertha Trotto last night were stricken from the primary ballot for district court by state Supreme Court Justice Alan Scheinkman in Westchester.

Scheinkman ruled that 44 of the 2,020 signatures submitted by the Islip GOP were not valid, leaving Alden, a Suffolk legislator from Islip, and Trotto, an 17-year incumbent from Holbrook, 24 short of the 2,000 valid signatures needed to qualify.

Alden, who cannot seek re-election to the Legislature because of term limits, said he will appeal the decision to the state Appellate Division next week.

"Whatever happened, I figured we were going up there," he said. "I don’t look at it as a big deal.
I think we should be back on the ballot."

The removal of Alden and Trotto leaves newcomer Jennifer Henry as the overwhelming favorite to win the seat. She also has the Democratic, Conservative and Independence party lines.

Reid J. Epstein

Democrats today vigorously denied GOP allegations of a “secret deal” to get Jimmy Dahroug to drop out of the primary for Senate so that Brookhaven Supervisor Brian Foley becomes an undisputed challenger to Sen. Caesar Trunzo in November.

At a press conference where Dahroug endorsed Foley, where they were joined by Democrats including county chairman Richard Schaffer and Sen. Craig Johnson (D-Port Washington), all said it was up to the judge in the now-defunct petition-challenge battle, Acting Supreme Court Justice Jeffrey Arlen Spinner, to explain why he ordered the case record sealed. Dahroug also denied he was coerced into to dropping out — saying he did so afer weighing the costs of going forward and the good of the party. Schaffer said he has a future in the party.

Allegations otherwise were issued by Brookhaven GOP Chairman Jesse Garcia. The Democrats are seeking to unseat 34-year veteran Sen. Caesar Trunzo as part of their drive to win a state Senate majority for the first time in a generation.

Foley also is running in November on the Working Families Party line — yet has declared support for the controversial 4-percent tax cap as well as an alternative “cicruit breaker” to limit increases based on income. He said he agrees with the WFP line on most issues. He also called it a plus for his candidacy that New York State United Teachers has chosen to stay neutral in the district race — citing the same property-tax issue — because Trunzo has long benefited from the union’s support.

Details, quotes and responses upcoming.

Update: Here's what Schaffer volunteered at the press conference before any questions were asked:

"For Jesse Garcia to be commenting on a judge’s decision on how he handles his court calendar and how he handles his courtroom, he needs to take that up with the judge. Judge Spinner was very clear that there was no fraud committed here (in Dahroug's petitions). He did not find any truth to any allegations of fraud and he himself decided to close the records. So if Jesse Garcia has a problem with that, he should take it up with the judge who is on his party line this year running for re-election." (Spinner has been cross-endorsed on the Democratic and Republican lines).

With Jimmy Dahroug due to appear Wednesday in Holbrook to publicly endorse fellow Democrat Brian Foley (left) for state Senate, the town's GOP chairman -- looking to dent the kumbaya moment -- raised suspicions of a sudden "secret deal" to kill a primary.

"Jimmy Dahroug will call for Party unity and formally announce his support of Brian Foley (the Brookhaven supervisor) for State Senate," at 3 p.m., said a statement from the state Democratic Party. County and town Democratic leaders are due to be on hand, as Foley moves to face veteran state Sen. Caesar Trunzo on Election Day.

But Jesse Garcia, the Brookhaven GOP chairman, said Tuesday that court documents in the candidates' truncated petition fight were sealed in what he called "an exceedingly rare action."

"Before this endorsement pact was reached, was there a handshake deal or a wink and a nod to bury these court documents?," Garcia asked. "What’s in these court papers that Dahroug and Foley have agreed to bury? Exactly what kind of pressure was Jimmy Dahroug facing when he shocked his supporters by dropping out of this race? Do these documents include charges of election fraud and illegalities by the Dahroug campaign? ...."

Garcia also cited past attacks by Dahroug charging the Foley camp with "shady" dealings. He cited a public right to know what is in the documents.

It's now confirmed: Jimmy Dahroug will drop his primary bid against Brookhaven Supervisor Brian Foley for the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican veteran Caesar Trunzo for his Senate seat. Dahroug's lawyer Kevin Brosnahan tells Newsday's Sid Cassese:

"Brian Foley will run against Mr. Trunzo. Jimmy has decided to step aside so that the party will have a united front in November. Jimmy, who has run two great campaigns, will run again for an office and make a great public official."

Update: We spoke with Foley earlier and he said: “It proves that as Democrats we are very serious about this race, that we are unified. There is a strong belief we are bringing change to the White House and need to bring change to the statehouse. For Democrats, there is more of a seriousness of purpose than ever to become more unified and be agents of the change and reform that the public is crying out for.”

From his unique perch as Long Island’s lone Republican congressman, Rep. Peter King sees a difference between the trouble his party faces in the region and the electoral peril it confronts across America.

“I think they’re two separate \[problems\] that came together at the same time,” King said yesterday. “There were local issues, going back to the late 1990s, in Nassau County with its budget problems. And Suffolk has had a disunited Republican party. Even just taking the congressional seats on Long Island, we didn’t lose any of them due to national issues,” he said, as some local losses came in otherwise flush GOP years.

King, a backer of President George W. Bush and the military effort in Iraq, acknowledged that the war has hurt the administration’s popularity, given “harsh” media coverage, and that gas prices haven’t helped.

Whatever the reasons, numbers published this week from 26 of the 29 states where voters register by party show GOP enrollment declining since 2005. Voter affiliation with Democrats or with no political party has risen overall. In Iowa and Nevada, Democratic registration surpassed Republican.

In Nassau, some Democrats follow the steady closing of the enrollment gap between their party and the once-mighty GOP with the zest of New Year’s Eve revelers counting down the seconds to midnight. Ten years ago, Republicans held an enrollment edge of 100,000. In November, that was down to about 22,000. This week the margin stands at 13,000 and shrinking, said Nassau Democratic election commissioner Bill Biamonte.

“Demographics” is often the explanation — more immigrants, more racial minorities, more young people, who often enroll as Democrats or unaffiliated, the waning of a previous generation. “For one,” Biamonte explains, “young people coming of age are simply not registering en masse as Republicans, in contrast to their parents. And second, the diverse migration of people from outside Nassau feel that the Democratic Party is more about economic empowerment and plurality as they move into a suburban lifestyle.”

But sociology explains only so much.

Dan Janison

State Sen. Caesar Trunzo campaign election filing finally showed up on the state Board of Elections website Friday more than a weerk over due and a day after Democrats filed a complaint over the delay.

On Thursday, Trunzo’s spokesman said they received a return mail receipt indicating the state board received the campaign information July 16 and do not know why the report has not been posted on the state’s website.

“It strikes me as odd arguing they submitted their filing when the board of elections has not posted it,” said Doug Forand, a consutlant with Senate Demcorats campaign committee. “Campaign finance disclosure is pretty critical to being open with the people and if there’s nothing to hide it should be made available to the people.”

Trunzo’s filing showed that over the last six months Trunzo added $68,660 to the $205,000 already in his coffers and only spent $20,312, leaving him with $253,406 cash on hand. His biggest donors were police unions who gave him more than $12,000.

-- Rick Brand

About 65 unhappy Islip Republicans turned out in the sweltering heat Monday night in front of the party's Third Avenue headquarters in Bay Shore to ask Caesar Trunzo to step down as town GOP leader.

Jimmy Dahroug may have an uphill battle to win a state senate Democratic primary battle against Brookhaven Supervisor Brian Foley, but he does have some star power.

His campaign finance filing last week shows that Alec Baldwin, star of the hit comedy series “50 Rock,” gave Dahroug’s campaign $500.

Dahroug said he sent Baldwin a soliciation letter, but was surprised by the donation. “I was jumping up and down, overjoyed,” he said, but said he may have made a contribution because they come from the same roots. “He’s a blue collar Long Island guy just like myself.”

Rick Brand

There's nothing worse for a candidate than when a party leader forgets you're running, unless of course he also frorgets your name.

But that's exactly what happened to Congressional hopeful Lee Zeldin Wednesday night when Suffolk Repubican chairman Harry Withers blundered twice at the GOP Lobsterfest in Lindenhurst.

At first, he forgot to mention Zeldin when he was making introductions of all the party's elected officials and candidates.. Trying to rectify the situation, Brookhaven Republican chairman Jesse Garcia, from the audience, held up Zeldin's hand and said, "You forgot our congressional candidate, Lee Zeldin."

But when Withers made the introduction, he goofed again calling him "Scott Zeldin." The miscue was understandable. The party is also running Scott Salimando as a candidate for state Assembly in the third District against Demcoratic incumbent Patricia Eddington.

Because of his error, Withers gave Zeldin a chance in the spotlight. "If I mess up your name you have an absolute right to speak," he said. But a shell-shocked Zeldin declined the chance, exiting as quicky as possible, according to several present.

Reached later, Zeldin said "I wasn't surprised when he forgot to introduce me," said Zeldin. "But when he forgot my name I was truly speechless."

Then he added, "I was a little disappointed in Henry," referring to the party leader whose name name is Harold.

Maybe Withers was a bit at sea because the $175 a person event at Chateau La Mer drew according to the leader, just 225 people even with new Senate Majority Leader Dean Skelos (R-Rockville Centre) a guest star, raising $39,000. However, others present put the number from 125 to 150.

Rick Brand

Long-shot Republican district court primary challenger Jennifer Henry, daughter of former District Attorney Patrick Henry, has become the favorite in the Islip race -- because Democrats have given her a third ballot line.

“Anyone who gets 700 signatures herself is pretty impressive in my book,” said Richard Schaffer, who on Thursday substituted the Brightwaters lawyer for Jerome McAvoy, who dropped out earlier in the week.

Henry surfaced as a surprise candidate last month and filed 3,700 signatures to get on the GOP primary ballot against 17-year District Court Judge Hertha Trotto and Suffolk Legis. Cameron Alden (R-Islip), who is term-limited and cannot seek re-election as a lawmaker in 2009.

Conservative Party chairman Edward Walsh backed Henry from the outset and Frank MacKay, Independence Party leader, gave her his party line this week. “They recognize a great jurist when they see one,” he said.

Henry also has a chance for a fourth ballot line, objecting to the 2,200 signatures filed by Islip Republicans, only 200 over the minimum, for the GOP primary Sept. 9. Sources say Henry backers are expected to file specific objections to more than 450 party signatures next week. Trotto, meanwhile, has filed petitions to run in a Conservative primary against both Henry and Alden.

Harry Withers, Suffolk Republican chairman, said he doesn’t blame Henry for seeking the line, saying “candidates naturally want any line they can get.” However, he added, “If I were a Democrat I’d be disappointed.”

However, MacKay said his party will give its line to the other Democratici district court judge candidate William Ford of Brentwood. Party sources also said the Demcorats' endorsement of Henry could pave the way for and agremenet with the minor parties next year when three Republican Dstrict Court Judges -- Stephen Behar, Steven Lotto and Patricia Filiberto, all opposed in the past by Walsh, come up for re-election. A likely Democratic contender, the sources say, might be Michael Kennedy, who had Conservative backing in the past.

Rick Brand

Islip has a new Independence Party chairman Robert Pilnick, but the new leader lives in Huntington.

Frank MacKay, state and Suffolk Independence Party chairman. said that Pilnick, 57, “has spent a tremendous amount of time in Islip organizing. It’s like another home to him.” Pilnick works in the Huntington town office of general services as a clerk of the works.

The Independence Party has 5,478 member in Islip and about 100 committee members. “Islip needs a new leader,” said MacKay “And by this time next year I expect the town party will be one of the strongest in the state.”

Pilnick replaces Fran Siems, who left the post in 2006 after more than a decade in the job in a dispute with MacKay because she backed Democrat Philip Nolan for town supervisor. MacKay backed former town board member Pamela Greene, who lost. “That really funny,” laughed Siems, noting that Pilnick worked with Nolan in Huntington. “He’s a lackey for Frank. ”

Rick Brand

On the heels of Rick Brand's story today on the movement to run Democratic Brookhaven Supervisor Brian Foley for the Senate seat long occupied by Republican Ceasar Trunzo, there are reports here and here of how would-be contender Jimmy Dahroug and a Democratic fundraiser are responding (fundraiser graphic via the TU's Liu).

State Sen. Caesar Trunzo said he is looking for a "sign of good faith" from critics before he will even consider stepping down as Islip Republican chairman.

The Brentwood Republican made the statement from Albany after about 90 party activists gathered at the East End Republican Club in Sayville Monday for the second time in the past month, trying to revive the moribund town GOP.

Frank Tatone, one of the dissident zone leaders who met with Trunzo Saturday, said that "not much progress" was made and that Trunzo wanted to put off any transition until after candidate petitions are filed in mid-July. "The outcome with Caesar was to wait," he said.

Critics have maintained they want Trunzo, who has a year left on his term, to step down immediately along with his party vice chair Jeanette Messina. In return they say they will back Trunzo's bid for re-election as Senate Republicans try to hold their majority, now hanging by a thin two seats.

Trunzo said he wants dissidents to "meet me halfway" and show their "good faith" by walking petitions and raising some money for the party before he begins a transition process. Trunzo, 81, said he told Tatone "I don't trust some of you guys to follow through on what you'll say you'll do." Trunzo also said he would not agree...

Rick Brand

Peace talks among Islip Republicans broke down over the weekend.

Those who want state Sen. Caesar Trunzo, 81, to step down as party leader and concentrate on his re-election were miffed that the Brentwood Republican was not ready to go.

The party faction headed by John Schettino and Philip Goglas were scheduled to hold another meeting Monday night at the East End Republican Club in Sayville where those involved in the town's five GOP clubs were to convene to plot their next step.

Rick Brand

Islip town board member Christopher Bodkin, a Republican turned Democrat, has withdrawn from the race to take on 34-year State Senate veteran Caesar Trunzo (R-Brentwood), pictured above.

“I’m out, and that is all I want to say,” said the 14-year town board member who last year defected from the Republican to Democratic.

Sources say Richard Schaffer, Suffolk Democratic chairman, asked Bodkin to withdraw about two weeks ago.

Initially, Bodkin was reluctant. But that was before the departure of Gov. Eliot Spitzer who was engineering a major push to take over the Senate. Sources say Bodkin had hoped the governor might intervene to force out Democrat Jimmy Dahroug, who has already lost twice but wants to take on Trunzo, 81, again. With Spitzer gone in scandal, those hopes were dashed.

Rick Brand

Islip’s Democratic Supervisor Philip Nolan (right) has hired Victoria Ryan, wife of Republican Assemb. Philip Boyle (left), in the $75,000-a-year post as the director of Islip’s Foreign Trade Zone at Long Island MacArthur Airport.

Nolan said that politics played no role in Ryan’s hiring and it was her background doing economic development work in Albany County. “We were very impressed,” he said. “Clearly she had the skill set in which we were interested.”

In the early 1990’s, Ryan headed the eeconomic development efforts for the Albany county executive office, during which time she forged a public-private partnership with the local chamber of commerce to help finance business development efforts. For the past five years she has done business development for Beach House Communications.

While her husband is a Republican....

Rick Brand

Islip’s Republican-turned-Democratic town board member Christopher Bodkin (photo, left) was in Albany Monday, being wooed by Senate Democrats, who want to see him take on Republican State Sen. Caesar Trunzo.

Bodkin was one of four Democratic incumbents from around the state who met with Senate campaign officials about taking on veteran GOP senators as part of Senate Democrats’ bid to wrest control from the majority Republicans who'd lose control with a net loss of two seats.

While Bodkin would be taking on Trunzo, 81, a 36-year Senate veteran, two other downstate Democrats -- New York City Councilmen Joseph Addabbo and James Gennaro -- are looking at taking on a pair of Queens Senate heavyweights. They are Serphin Maltese of Middle Village, who won re-election only narrowly in 2006, and Frank Padavan of Bellerose.

Bodkin confirmed that he attended the session and expects to make a decision about the race in the next several weeks.

Rick Brand

Islip Republican Philip Goglas is planning to run. He's just not sure for which offiice.

The Central Islip lawyer is considering either a primary for State Sen. Caesar Trunzo or a challenge to Democratic Assemb. Philip Ramos, who is already under fire in his own party from County Executive Steve Levy.

While his target is still to be determined, Goglas held his first fundraiser last week where he raised nearly $10,000 at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Central Islip, attracting more than 100 supporters including former GOP Rep. Rick Lazio and former Islip town board member Pamela Greene.

Goglas, 48, who works as an assistant town attorney in Smithtown, is also talking to GOP consultant John Zaher about handling his campaign. Zaher last worked in the campaign of Republican Legis. John Kennedy of Nesconset who was dumped by the Smithtown GOP, was cross-endorsed by Democrats, and then won the party primary.

Rick Brand

A Suffolk legislator’s complaint has led LIPA to pull the plug on lighted parking lot signs for the pricey eatery Tellers, next door to Islip Town Hall.

A LIPA investigation showed the Teller signs at both ends of the town parking lot behind the chophouse were unmetered, shortchanging the public power agency as much as $2,000 over the past six years, with another $2,000 to pay for the cost of the field investigation.

Legis. Cameron Alden (R-Islip), pictured here at left, claimed to town officials that the restaurant was involved in a “theft of services” and should be sued. “Tellers has to do the right thing,” said Town Supervisor Philip Nolan, but indicated he does not expect the town to go to court. He said the town attorney met with owners Friday to discuss the problem.

The historic former bank building, an abandoned eyesore when Tellers moved in, has become an anchor of the downtown area. The restaurant, once a favorite haunt of convicted former GOP Supervisor Peter McGowan, got permission to use the town parking lot in return for paving and keeping it clean. The town required electric signs, to respond to neighborhood residents who feared customers would park on their streets. But cleanup crews have angered Alden by blowing dirt and debris into his house behind the lot.

“No one should be subsidizing them,” said Alden, “Not with the prices they charge.”

Rick Brand

State Senator Caesar Trunzo has changed his mind about leaving as Islip Republican chairman. “Earlier he told everyone in a room he was stepping down,” said a party official who declined to be identified. “But in the last few weeks he’s telling people individually he’s staying,” because no sucessor emerged who’d rally and unify the party.

Rick Brand