Legislators: Levy's Hiring Needs Control

Several Suffolk County Legislators proposed a bill on Tuesday to amend the county's charter to change its hiring procedures, a move that would essentially strip Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy of some hiring power.

District Attorney Thomas Spota was joined by the county comptroller, treasurer, county clerk and sheriff joining together in favor of legislation that would allow countywide elected officials to fill their department's vacant positions without requiring the approval of Levy.

"We have the expertise to determine what jobs are essential to best run our offices and what jobs can be left vacant to save taxpayer money. Let us and those who succeed us make those decisions," Spota read from a statement signed by all five officials. 

The legislation would change county charter to provide other countywide elected officials a method of bypassing Levy's hiring approval, determined to be an implied executive power by New York State Court of Appeals.

The district attorney, comptroller, sheriff, treasurer and county clerk's departments heads could directly hire employees provided there are funds given for it in the annual operating budget. Levy would be limited to seven reasons to object, including budget deficiencies or emergencies. However, the legislature would have rights to review this decision, ultimately holding power to override any county executive's veto with 14 votes – more than the 12 required for supermajority. 

"While we have to beg borrow and steal to get a scin form signed, the county executive hires at will with no checks and balances what so ever.  We have to have literally crawl on hands and knees for a scin form," said Comptroller Joseph Sawicki.

A scin form is what Levy needs to sign to approve a hire.

Sawicki said his department's state an "embarrassment" as it is five and a half weeks behind on payments, blaming vacant positions for causing understaffing despite significant overtime.

Sheriff Vincent DeMarco said he was paying a uniformed officer to work as a receptionist for more than eight months due to inability to get hiring approval.

"I have more uniformed officers doing civilian jobs now than when I took office, you can imagine how costly that is," DeMarco said.

Yet, Levy denounced the legislation as "an anti-taxpayer power grab" that would strip him of vital power as the county's chief budget officer, unable to control these department's spending.

"Voters elect one county executive to be the chief budget officer responsible for balancing the budget," Levy said in an earlier press statement. "To give the unfettered ability of other elected officials to hire and spend without restraint would be like a homeowner giving responsibility for their finances to someone not on the mortgage."

Levy said in a Nov. 18 statement that his exercise of hiring control has saved county taxpayers $1.9 million in 2009, and is on target to save $2.5 million in 2010. He then pointed to a similar law adopted by Albany County in 1995, citing since then its county staff positions removed from executive control increased by 37 percent.

As the legislation's sponsor, Deputy President Officer Vivian Viloria-Fisher said if the change put into effect, the new hiring policies would only affect about 7 percent of the county's staff.

Levy Reissues Call For Civilianization

While the legislature heard from the countywide elected officials, Levy met with media to call attention a resolution that asks firearms range officers be made a civilian position, replacing sworn police officers to put them on active control.

The county executive supports his position for the position of Range Officer I to be replaced by a civilian with an approximately 3 minute video clip of demonstrating the job duties.

"This is a case where a single sworn officer sits in a small room and operates a small laptop," Levy said. "After viewing the video, it becomes clear that this position could be performed by a trained, licensed firearms instructor earning far less than the sworn officer's average of $190,000 a year."

The bill was unanimously tabled in Nov. 16 committee meeting for further changes and consideration.