BUDGET SLASHER: Steve Levy as county exec balanced Long Island's Suffolk County's budget by taking on the unions without increasing taxes.
Posted on 03/22/2010 6:49:43 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Steve Levy has garnered more than his share of detractors in seven years as Suffolk County executive -- but his supporters see that as a sign of his courage in taking on special interests and fighting sacred cows to trim the bloat out of his county's budget.
Now that Levy, a Democrat, is running for governor to challenge presumptive Democrat nominee, Atty. General Andrew Cuomo with Republican backing, that independent streak is what his boosters say is needed to shake up the dysfunctional state Capitol.
"I guess being a Democrat, if you're going to go cutting positions and stuff, Democratic leaders may not like that," said Suffolk Conservative Party chairman Ed Walsh, who gave Levy the Conservative line in 2007 county-exec race.
"When he took over as county executive, there was a $238 million shortfall. He balanced the budget without raising taxes."
Suffolk Democratic Party chairman Richard Schaffer said Levy "is very driven. He's an extremely hard worker. He's the last guy out of the office [at the end of the day] and the first guy in."
Colleagues described him as a force of nature.
Suffolk County Legislature presiding officer William Lindsay was asked if he has a good working relationship with Levy, and he responded, "Depends on the day."
Lindsay, who took the legislative seat nine years ago that Levy had himself held for 15 years, suggested that Levy has accomplishments but that a lot of what he does is packaging and selling himself as a reformer despite lingering problems in Suffolk.
If that's true, it's working so far. The state GOP is set to embrace him -- and his $4 million war chest -- today as a new Republican hopeful for the party's nomination.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
I am very leary of RATs that suddenly “get religion” and become Republicans.
Think Arlen Specter.
The difficulties Levy will face are :
1) Andrew Cuomo is the overwhelming favorite to win this by double digits. Of course he still has to say he’s interested.
2) Levy will have to win the GOP nomination over Ric Lazio. Levy’s advantage is he has raised more money ( $4 M to date ) than Lazio ( a puny $650,000 thus far ).
3) Steve Levy, 50, is a weightlifter and political obsessive, who is famously hated by the police unions in Suffolk, made inflammatory remarks about immigration reform that enraged black and Latino communities, and has been praised by county conservatives. He WILL NOT win the pro-immigration and the union votes ( teacher and public unions are a major force in NY Politics ).
The difficulties Levy will face are :
1) Andrew Cuomo is the overwhelming favorite to win this by double digits. Of course he still has to say he’s interested.
2) Levy will have to win the GOP nomination over Ric Lazio. Levy’s advantage is he has raised more money ( $4 M to date ) than Lazio ( a puny $650,000 thus far ).
3) Steve Levy, 50, is a weightlifter and political obsessive, who is famously hated by the police unions in Suffolk, made inflammatory remarks about immigration reform that enraged black and Latino communities, and has been praised by county conservatives. He WILL NOT win the pro-immigration and the union votes ( teacher and public unions are a major force in NY Politics ).
Levy is probably as much a Republican as Bloomberg. Its all about me. If he can;t get elected as a Democrat, he will run as a Republican, or an Independent, or whatever, as long as he can get elected.
Having said that, he has got to be less malignant than
Andrew “Evil Eyes” Cuomo, son of Mario “The Gargoyle” Cuomo.
Republicans in NY, never do win any of those.
“Trust, but verify”
Who needs more social liberal fiscal conservatives. Can you say Stupak?
Pray for America
NY/Levy ping.
I like him already.
Although, I've seen this movie before. I think it was called "Bloomberg". Maybe Levy's different, but I'm not going to hold my breath.
The Republicans ran him on their party line last election.
He’s no Mike Bloomberg.The Rep.party needs all the help it can get in NY state.
“I am very leary of RATs that suddenly “get religion” and become Republicans”
though i share your skepticism, i must say that this guys record is aligned with a NY GOPer, Fiscal hawk that pisses off unions and anti-illegal immigration. i remain cautiously optimistic about this one
As President Reagan said: “Trust, but verify.”
To be honest, I was a democrat in my youth. Difference is, I woke up.
Anyone that pisses off union turds can’t be all bad.
Even Reagan started out a Democrat so dont feel bad. I must have matured faster than most i have always been a conservative Republican.
regarding Levy i couldnt agree more if someone pisses off unions there must be some good in them
Let’s put it this way -— are we willing to judge a man by WHAT HE DID or WHAT HE SAYS ?
When Obama was campaigning, he talked a good moderate game, yet ANYONE COULD SEE HIS VOTING RECORD ( the most liberal in the Senate ).
Look at Steve Levy’s record the past two terms and you’ll see the kind of person he is, even as a Democrat.
Levy is not perfect, but compared to Andrew Cuomo ?? His policies are MILES better. Our state is already on the road to bankrupcy and Cuomo ( who had a hand in this subprime crisis when he was HUD Secretary ) is going to ensure that we get there faster.
I just discovered that Levy is INDEED like Sen. Scott Brown culture wise. On social issues, Levy says he is pro-choice but is against partial birth abortion and on the topic of gay rights that he is in favor of civil unions but marriage should be between a man and a woman.
SEE HERE :
Reagan said “Trust but verify”.
I also discovered that prior to his being Suffolk County Executive, Levy was a representative of Suffolk to the NY State Legislature.
Levy will square off against Republican Rick Lazio in the GOP primary.
Lazio’s campaign was quick to go on the offensive today. In a statement, Lazio campaign manager Kevin Fullington referred to Levy as a liberal Democrat and said, “He is a supporter of Barack Obama... and he has voted for the largest tax increase in New York state history. He even said that the Obama stimulus package was a ‘manna from heaven’ that would ‘save lives’.”
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