Babylon Democrats News

Cuomo Changes Election Rules in Effort to Slow Spread of COVID-19 Outbreak

Mar
14
2020

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo signed an executive order Saturday temporarily modifying election procedures to help reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Under the new order, the candidate petitioning process will be suspended effective 5 p.m. Tuesday for the June primaries for congressional, state senate, state assembly and judicial races.

In addition, the signature requirements for ballot access will also be modified under the new order. Candidates now only need to collect 30 percent of the statutory threshold. This means that congressional candidates need only 375 signatures rather than 1,250. Meanwhile, State Senate candidates need 300 signatures rather than 1,000, and State Assembly candidates require 150 signatures instead of the normally-required 500.| read more ››

Voters Elect Jason Richberg to Fill DuWayne Gregory's Seat in 15th District

Mar
11
2020

Jason Richberg, a West Babylon Democrat, defeated by a wide margin two challengers — an Amityville Republican and a Copiague Democrat — in a special election for a prominent Suffolk County Legislature seat.

Suffolk Board of Election results showed that Richberg, a clerk to the legislature, won as many as 2,022 votes of 2,501 cast in a contest to win the 15th Legislative District and replace former Legis. DuWayne Gregory, who once served as presiding officer.

"I think it’s important at this point in time that we get together and listen to what the needs of the district are," Richberg said after the votes were tallied. "Obviously, people want to be heard and I am here to be that...| read more ››

Town supervisors push to get share of proposed internet sales tax

Rich Schaffer
Mar
18
2019

Suffolk County’s 10 towns are seeking a portion of a proposed internet sales tax, pointing to similar revenue-sharing agreements in Nassau and other counties.

Rich Schaffer, the supervisor for the Town of Babylon and chairman of the Suffolk County Supervisors Association, is leading the effort to get a share of the anticipated sales tax on online purchases that Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo estimates could bring the state as much as $390 million annually.

While the three towns and two cities in Nassau County have long had a sales-tax sharing agreement with the county, Schaffer and his nine colleagues are asking only that a portion of the future revenue from the internet sales go to the towns.| read more ››

Spring 2018 Babylon Democrats Fundraiser

Mar
2
2018

Babylon Democratic Committee Chairman Peter Casserly has announced that the Babylon Democrats' annual Spring Dinner will take place on Wednesday, March 7th 2018 from 6-8PM at Bergen Point Golf Course. All are invited to join for a night of food, drinks and great company as we celebrate last fall's local Democratic victories and "Spring into Action" for the upcoming 2018 elections.

Tickets are $350 per person or $200 for committee members. In addition, several sponsorship opportunities are available:

Diamond Sponsorship--$5,000
Platinum Sponsorship--$2,500
Gold Sponsorship--$1,500
Silver Sponsorship--$1,000
Bronze Sponsorship--$500

Checks should be made payable to Babylon Democratic Committee. Bergen Point Golf Course is located at 69 Bergen Avenue in West Babylon.| read more ››

Fall 2017 Babylon Democrats Fundraiser

Sep
29
2017

Babylon Democratic Committee Chairman Peter Casserly invites you to the Babylon Democrats' annual Fall Dinner on Wednesday, October 4th from 6-8PM at Bergen Point Golf Course. Join us for a night of food, drinks, and great company as we rally our support behind a great slate of Babylon Town Democratic candidates, including Supervisor Rich Schaffer, Deputy Supervisor and Councilman Tony Martinez, and Gerry Compitello, who is running for Town Clerk!

Tickets are $350 per person or $200 for committee members. In addition, several sponsorship opportunities are available:

Diamond Sponsorship--$5,000

Platinum Sponsorship--$2,500

Gold Sponsorship--$1,500

Silver Sponsorship--$1,000

Bronze Sponsorship--$500

Please make checks payable to Babylon Democratic Committee.

Bergen Point Golf Course is located at 69 Bergen Ave, West Babylon, NY 11704....| read more ››

Huntington official hopes to offer free sunscreen at 14 town spots

Jul
28
2017

One Huntington Town official is determined to have residents covered when it comes to their skin.

Councilwoman Susan Berland (D) received support from her Huntington Town Board colleagues to expand her pilot program and provide sunscreen protection for Huntington residents at 14 new locations in addition to Crab Meadow Beach.

Last summer Berland launched a free sunscreen dispenser program at Crab Meadow Beach after working in conjunction with IMPACT Melanoma, formerly known as the Melanoma Foundation of New England, an organization that provides education, prevention and support for the most serious form of skin cancer.

“The [Crab Meadow Beach dispenser] was a success,” Berland said in a phone interview. “It got a lot of use last year and this year....| read more ››

Democrats pick Joseph McDermott for Suffolk legislature

Jul
2
2017

Suffolk Democrats have named Brightwaters Mayor Joseph McDermott as their candidate to run for the seat being vacated by term-limited Suffolk Legis. Thomas Barraga (R-West Islip).

McDermott, 50, who is in his second term as mayor, was first elected to the post in 2014 after serving a year as a village trustee. McDermott made a losing bid for the Islip Town Board in 2015, garnering 13,138 votes in the townwide contest. He also is a member of Ironworkers Local 361.

McDermott does not yet know who his Republican opponent will be in November because Barraga’s son-in-law Michael McElwee, a Bay Shore restaurant owner, is challenging Islip Town Board member Steve Flotteron for the GOP nomination in a Sept. 12 primary....| read more ››

Suffolk to crack down on adults serving teens alcohol, Sini says

Jun
28
2017

Suffolk County police will crack down on adults who serve alcohol to minors over the summer, when rates of underage drinking spike, officials said Wednesday.

Last year, Suffolk County strengthened its social host law — which holds adults liable for knowingly permitting underage drinking in their homes — to allow greater enforcement, police Commissioner Timothy Sini said at a news conference at police headquarters in Yaphank. The change made a first offense a misdemeanor, punishable by up to a $500 fine, rather than a violation.

Bolstering the law was an effort to prevent the emergency room visits, car accidents, deaths and other issues that result from underage drinking, Sini said.

“This is a public health issue,” he said. “We will...| read more ››

Suffolk top cop testifies before Congress on MS-13 gang

May
24
2017

Federal authorities should create a national database of MS-13 members and boost funding for more prosecutors, police enforcement, and community outreach to combat the rise on Long Island of the vicious street gang, Suffolk Police Commissioner Timothy Sini told a congressional panel Wednesday.

Sini, in testimony before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said MS-13 was responsible for 27 killings in Suffolk since 2013 with 17 of those committed since January 2016. As proof that members of the gang are “savages,” Sini said they recently attempted to recruit a 10-year-old.

“This database is mission-critical to facilitating effective collaboration,” Sini told the committee.

The police commissioner later said he envisioned collaboration that would eventually include international law enforcement from...| read more ››

New York Becomes Only to Offer Free Four-Year College

Apr
10
2017

New York will be the only state in the country to cover four-year college tuition for residents after the program was included in the budget package approved Sunday night.

The state's Excelsior Scholarship program will be rolled out in tiers over the next three years, starting with full coverage of four-year college tuition this fall for students whose families make less than $100,000.

The income cap will increase to $110,000 in 2018 and $125,000 in 2019.

"With this budget, New York has the nation's first accessible college program. It's a different model," said Governor Andrew Cuomo Saturday in a statement. "Today, college is what high school was—it should always be an option even if you can't afford it."

According to...| read more ››