Letter to the Editor: Public Being "Deceived" by 2010, 2011 Budgets.

Dear Riverhead Town Residents,

This public letter is to inform the taxpayers of Riverhead of nefarious actions taken by the Riverhead Town Board and Former Supervisor Cardinale. Last year on Election Day the voters of this Town, by Referendum, elected to pay the costs (as determined by the Supervisor and Town Board) of the Public Safety Dispatchers employed by the Town and that in doing so, those costs would be added to each household's tax bill. The intention of this Referendum was to ensure that the salaries and services provided by those employees would be covered in the 2010 Town Budget.

On Wednesday, November 3, 2010 (one year later) Councilman John Dunleavy at the Public Hearing on the 2011 Budget, ADMITTED that in fact, the cost WAS NEVER added to the Tax Roll and further, that the former Town Supervisor instead reduced the Town's Reserve Fund to cover the costs that were voted on by the Taxpayers of this good Town. Courageously, Councilman Dunleavy further stated that he in fact had been trying, UNSUCCESSFULLY, to convince his fellow board members and new Supervisor that it was wrong to have not added those costs to the taxpayer and deceive the public about what happened.

It is apparent by the comments made by Supervisor Walter at that public hearing that he personally sees nothing wrong with the way the taxpayer's desires were COMPLETELY DISREGARDED.

The facts are now clear! The 2010 Adopted Budget was DISHONESTLY adopted by the then Town Board which left the budget approximately $800,000.00 short. The same $800,000.00 that the Supervisor has cut in personnel in the 2011 Proposed Budget.

While CSEA applauds the efforts of Supervisor Walter to keep taxes down and cut spending where he thinks appropriate, it is the almost 200 Civil Service Town Employee's position that those cuts can be painlessly felt by the Town by NOT ELIMINATING ANY CURRENT POSITIONS. The Union representatives have approached the Town Board IN GOOD AND HONEST FAITH with reference to negotiation of our contract and the Members' contribution to assisting the Town with budget savings (i.e. the same as our brother PBA Union Members (lag payroll). These efforts have been REBUFFED OUTRIGHT by Supervisor Walter. He seems determined to SECRETLY underwrite the former Supervisors nefarious behavior and keep that bad behavior in the DARK.

Union Members of this Town PROUDLY provide services to the residents of this Town. We urge you to contact the Town Board council persons to confirm all of the above and ask that the wishes of the Residents be appropriately addressed.

Matt Hattorf
Town of Riverhead CSEA Unit President