Babylon Democrats News

Bellone Speaks on Downtown Revitalization Efforts to Members of the Bayport-Blue Point Chamber of Commerce.

Feb
26
2014

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone spoke to members of the Bayport-Blue Point Chamber of Commerce as well as students of the Bayport-Blue Point Business Class Wednesday morning as part of Bayport-Blue Point High School’s School-To-Business program. Over 100 students, teachers and members of the Chamber attended the meeting where the County Executive spoke about Suffolk County’s water quality initiative, improving transportation infrastructure, and downtown revitalization projects throughout Suffolk County. In addition, County Executive Bellone discussed efforts to reverse the trend of young adults leaving Long Island.

“In order to make our County a model for sustainable economic growth, we need to focus on ways to attract young people to stay on the Island,” said County Executive Steve Bellone. “We need...| read more ››

BELLONE AND LEGISLATOR MARTINEZ ANNOUNCE OPENING OF SUFFOLK COUNTY RESOURCE CENTER IN COLLABORATION WITH MAKE THE ROAD NEW YORK

Feb
20
2014

(Brentwood, NY) County Executive Bellone was joined by Legislator Monica Martinez, Javier Valdes, Co-Executive Director of Make the Road NY, the Departments of Social Services, Labor and the Human Rights Commission to announce on-site county services to be offered at Make the Road New York in Brentwood, NY.

“Ensuring that all residents have access to County services is of the utmost importance to my administration,” said County Executive Steve Bellone. “Today, we have the opportunity to do just that in the Brentwood and Central Islip communities. We have created a county resource center in Brentwood that will be staffed one a week with representatives from the Departments of Labor, Social Services and the Human Rights Commission. These services are made...| read more ››

Steve Bellone pushes plan for speed cameras near schools

Feb
12
2014

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone Tuesday asked state legislators for the power to install cameras to catch speeders in school zones, an initiative that would expand the current system that nabs drivers who run red lights.
Bellone proposed putting cameras near 20 school sites during a meeting with Long Island's state lawmakers in Albany. He said the initiative would bring in $2 million a year in revenues.
"Speed cameras are used in cities across the nation and have proved effective in reducing traffic accidents and saving lives," Bellone said in his pitch to state lawmakers. He said his initiative resembles a pilot project in New York City that has just started.

Bellone wants authority to put the new...| read more ››

Steve Bellone Announces Release of the 2013 Suffolk County Food Policy Council Annual Report

Feb
11
2014

Hauppauge, NY - February 11, 2014 - Today, the Suffolk County Food Policy Council (SCFPC) released its annual report to the Suffolk County Legislature and to Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone. This report summarizes the actions and steps taken by the Council over the course of 2013. It also identifies future steps and actions to be investigated in 2014.

The SCFPC is made up of members of the Department of Health Services, the Department of Economic Development & Planning, the Department of Social Services, food equity advocates, community-based groups, food growers, retailers, and distributors, and Legislator Kara Hahn, the Chair of the Suffolk County Legislature’s Environment, Planning, and Agriculture Committee.

The mission of the Food Policy Council is to:
...| read more ››

Bellone Congratulates Suffolk Olympians

Feb
5
2014

Lugers, Skeleton Slider Competing in XXII Games.

Bellone Congratulates Suffolk Olympians
Haupauge, NY - February 5th, 2014 - Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone sends congratulations to local athletes who are participating in the XXII Olympic Winter Games.

Among the estimated 2,500 athletes competing in the games in Sochi, Russia are: lugers Aidan Kelly of West Islip and Matt Mortensen of Huntington Station and skeleton slider John Daly of Smithtown.

“We are proud to have such a strong contingent of Suffolk County residents who will represent their country on such an international stage,” Bellone said. “They have all worked hard to get where they are and deserve a great deal of credit for their achievements. We will all be rooting...| read more ››

BELLONE’S WATER QUALITY AGENDA

Jan
30
2014

When I first heard that Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone was making Long Island’s water quality the number one priority of his administration, I was skeptical. And rightfully so. In the past I’ve argued that Long Island is entering the “age of the mega-project.”

As I wrote this past December:

Long-stalled projects within the Town of Islip (and across Long Island) are getting new life thanks to pro-growth government incentives, focused implementation and the perceived growing acceptance of multi-family developments. What once seemed impossible to build in a suburban setting is now being proposed with new zeal, paired with ample mention of this column’s favorite terms: “smart growth” and “brain drain.” Add to these the need for “housing for Long...| read more ››

County Executive Steve Bellone hosts live water pollution tele-conference; close to 10,000 citizens weigh in

Jan
28
2014

Are you worried about the quality of the tap water pouring out of your faucets? You are not alone. Last night Suffolk County Executive Steven Bellone hosted a live tele-conference about the problem of water pollution in Suffolk County. According to a media advisory, Bellone considers nitrogen pollution of ground and surface water to be the number one threat to public health in our area. A recently released executive summary of Suffolk County’s Comprehensive Water Resources Management plan indicates that “nitrogen poisoning has reached critically high levels; impacting drinking water, recreational waterways and reducing wetlands, which act as Long Island’s last line of natural defense against disasters such as Superstorm Sandy.”

Residents were urged to take part in the tele-conference...| read more ››

Steve Bellone holds call-in on nitrogen campaign

Jan
28
2014

Jan. 28--More than 9,700 Suffolk residents listened to a telephone town hall hosted by Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone Monday night, as he took his still-evolving campaign to address nitrogen-polluted waters in the county directly to the public.

Bellone announced on Thursday in a news conference at the county building in Hauppauge that addressing the problem of nitrogen in water -- which pollutes bays, contaminates the aquifer and harms tidal wetlands that protect from storms -- would be his administration's top priority.

He made the same promise Monday night, as he spoke to residents and answered a handful of questions from the public for about an hour, with county staff and water officials on hand.

Bellone acknowledged that reversing the...| read more ››

An Open Letter to Steven Bellone, Suffolk County Executive

Jan
24
2014

To: Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone
From: The Membership of Save The Great South Bay
Re: Water Quality on Long Island

Dear Mr. Bellone,

We of Save The Great South Bay applaud your leadership in helping to shine a light on the major issue threatening all of Long Island’s bays, rivers, ponds, its very drinking water, and with that our way of life. With the release of The Comprehensive Water Resources Management Plan, the public at large, the 1.5 million people who live in Suffolk County and the 1.35 million in Nassau County, can begin to understand the collective threat we face from nitrogenous waste in our groundwater.

The public release of the report was truly a watershed...| read more ››

Save Our Water

Jan
24
2014

Yesterday I announced the single most important initiative of my administration and what should be the single most important goal for all Long Islanders: Curbing the decades of nitrogen poisoning we have been inflicting on our ground and surface waters here in Suffolk County.

As I stated in my press conference, where I was joined by scientists, environmentalists, representatives from the business and agricultural communities, the water supply and construction industries, and elected officials from both sides of the aisle, nitrogen poisoning is public enemy number one for our bays, waterways, drinking supply, and the critical wetlands and marshes that protect us from future natural disasters. There is no denying the harmful and destructive nature of this problem or the...| read more ››