Election: Dougherty takes control in News 12 debate

Town Supervisor Jim Dougherty used his incumbency to his advantage against opponents Glenn Waddington and Bob DeStefano in last week’s News 12 Long Island election debate, particularly with regard to fiscal matters. Taking control of the proceedings from the start, Mr. Dougherty stated that he had turned around the “financial mess” he had inherited while also charging Mr. Waddington with having been a “virulent opponent” to the town’s 4-poster program.

Mr. Waddington denied the charge, saying he’s asked questions about the program but had voted for it.

The three candidates went head to head during the half-hour session moderated by Doug Geed of News 12. Having drawn the lead-off position, the supervisor, a Democrat, opened the debate by stating that Shelter Island had been “heading for financial disaster” when he took office in January 2008. He claimed that “skillful leadership and tight budgeting” had enabled him to increase the fund balance that had been “raided” by previous administrations while he kept tax increases low. “Shelter Island is the best in class,” he said. “And if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

Mr. Waddington began by “paraphrasing the old real estate pitch: experience, experience, experience.” He stated that in his 12 years on the Town Board, he was proud to have “championed and voted for some of the most important legislation” in the Island’s recent history, including the land preservation fund, the starter house program on Bowditch Road and the acquisition of Section 9 for preservation, among other initiatives. “I also have the history,” he said. “You have to know where you’ve been so you know where you’re going.” Mr. Waddington is running on the Conservative and Island Unity Party lines.

Republican challenger Bob DeStefano said he saw the position as a chance to “give back” to the community, in which he had lived, worked and raised a family for over 50 years.

Several of the forum’s questions dealt with the economy and its impact on local government. Mr. Dougherty stated he’d be looking for accommodations from town employees for health insurance expenses and possibly even pension contributions when the three union contracts were renegotiated in 2012. He said that the town’s $1.2 million expense for employee and retiree health benefits was expected to increase by 10 pecent in 2012 and state pension contributions were projected to jump 50 percent.

Mr. Waddington said the town must “look to the future” and instead of maintaining “a knee jerk reaction” to new hires, should focus on attrition and “exploring health care options” for new employees. He went on to say that newer town hires already pick up a larger share of their medical coverage than in the past. “I’d rather cut expenses than personnel,” he stated.

Mr. Dougherty said he had pledged not to lay off town workers but “the quid pro quo” was getting “more participation from employees in paying for health care costs” and maybe pension costs. “They are both very generous plans,” he stated. Mr. DeStefano suggested that “outsourcing” might be considered when there was a vacancy to be filled.

Asked about the town’s takeover of the Red Cross Ambulance service, Mr. Dougherty called it a “great victory for home rule.” He admitted that while it was ultimately “a very good idea” for the town to assume responsibility for the ambulance, there was “basically no choice” as the Red Cross “wanted to get out of that business.” The supervisor went on to announce that he and Joyce Bausman, the chapter’s CEO, had just signed the contracts to make the change effective as of December 31, 2011.

Mr. DeStefano said the change “was one of the better things going on right now” but he would like to be “clearer” on the costs to the town. Mr. Waddington said that the question will be how be how to keep taxpayers informed about the status of the turnover, ensuring that the change is seamless and “talking realistically” about the costs of running the service.

While all of the candidates spoke in support of the 4-poster program, Mr. Waddington explicitly stated that the 2012 budget could not absorb the expansion that the Deer & Tick Committee recently requested and that the program should not get in the way of culling the Island’s deer herd. Mr. Dougherty said that, as a councilman, Mr. Waddington had been one of two “pretty virulent opponents” to the program.

In closing their statements, the three men reiterated their key campaign themes. Mr. DeStefano pledged to be a good listener and run a more caring, compassionate and open government. Mr. Waddington stressed the importance of maintaining the Island’s diversity, only achievable, he said, by keeping taxes low. He also responded to Mr. Dougherty’s claim about his opposition to the 4-poster program, stating that while he had asked questions and called for testing, he had voted for it.

The incumbent supervisor urged voters to “stick with a winner” in a grim financial environment, promised to govern fairly, stressed the lack of “cronyism” in his administration and the importance of leadership continuity in uncertain times.

The debate may be viewed at news12longisland.com, search “Island Vote 2011.”