Dear Neighbor Letter (re PBA)

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Keeping Promises. Delivering Results
52 Robbins Avenue, Amityville, New York 11701 March 12, 2014 Dear Neighbor, Recently you may have received a letter from the Amityville PBA President regarding my proposal to freeze the base pay of Amityville Police Officers who earned more than $150,000 last year. That letter had a few mistakes, which I would like to take this opportunity to correct: Mayor Wandell, Deputy Mayor Bernius and I sent a copy of our proposal to the PBA President via United States Postal Service certified return receipt mail. The tracking number is 7013 1710 0001 2073 4243. The Post Office confirms that it was received at 10:54am on February 28th. You should know that we have tried to negotiate with the PBA President privately, without the press being involved. In our first nine months in office, on behalf of a Village on the brink of bankruptcy, we formally met with the PBA President three times, pleading for some relief from the PBA contract that paid the average officer $176,000 last year and gives $250,000 buyouts to retiring officers. During one of these meetings, we asked that the PBA concede $50k from the $30 million contract in order to fund a tax relief program for Hurricane Sandy families who were forced out of their homes due to the storm. Sadly, not one of our requests was honored. We tried to negotiate three times privately, but failed. Knowing that if we do nothing our village is likely to go bankrupt, we sought the attention of our constituents and the press to bring exposure to this topic. Yes, we called the press – because you have a right to know the details of a contract that we can’t afford. Newsday’s Editorial Board agreed and wrote about it. (see reverse.) What also should be corrected is the PBA statement that our Village Police Services “…cost less than $10 per month per household.” In fact, our Village spent $7,000,000 of our $15,000,000 budget on Police Services last year. Policing costs are partially paid for by commercial property taxes and other sources of Village revenue, leaving the average household paying closer to $150 per month, not the $10 the PBA letter claims. Still, we fully support a Village Police Department because it provides a much better service than Suffolk County would – we just think that those services can come at a more affordable price. The letter also boasts about the financial concessions the PBA has made. But it fails to mention that the bulk of that sacrifice came from the newest three members of the PBA. These new officers start at $42k, pay into their medical insurance and take 12 steps, instead of five, to reach top pay. While the new Officers earn much less, the 20 more senior Officers, who earned in excess of $150,000 last year and don’t contribute to their health benefits, still enjoy a generous contract that Newsday says “defies common sense.” What is most offensive is that the letter claims that I have disparaged our law enforcement officials. My Dad and both my Grandfathers were Police Officers. After graduating from Annapolis, I served in the Navy for seven years and completed three overseas deployments. My brother is a Marine who earned a Bronze Star with valor, risking his life for our Country. It’s in my family’s DNA to honor those who wear a uniform.
The Amityville First Party strives to make our beautiful village cleaner, safer and more vibrant while making it more affordable for our families and small businesses.

In the last ten years, you have seen your taxes double, we’re $10,000,000 in debt, have a credit rating one notch above junk and our Village’s finances were recently ranked 2nd worst of 535 villages in New York State. As long as I am on the Board, I will insist on nothing less than a well funded, trained and equipped Village Police Department. However, the PBA contract, which is the most expensive in the state, paid the average officer $176,000 last year and gives $250,000 buyouts to retiring officers must be scaled back. If the PBA rejects our common-sense offer to freeze the base pays of officers who earned more than $150,000 last year, the Village’s finances will likely become subject to a Control Board or a Municipal Bankruptcy. Both of which will enact, not propose, measures much harsher to the PBA contract than our proposal and put all of our services – police, fire and highway, at risk. The time for leadership and truth is now. Best regards,

Trustee Nick LaLota

The Amityville First Party strives to make our beautiful village cleaner, safer and more vibrant while making it more affordable for our families and small businesses.

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