HAUPPAUGE, NY — On Tuesday, July 12th, Suffolk County Executive Steven Bellone signed on to a bill drafted by Legislators Stephanie Bontempi and Jim Mazzarella to close a loophole in current County term limit law by limiting the offices of county executive, comptroller, and legislator to a total of 12 years.
The bill, introduced by Legislator Bontempi and co-sponsored by Legislator Mazzarella, limits holding the office of County Executive, Legislator or Comptroller to 12 years total, without the terms being consecutive. It was unanimously passed in a bipartisan fashion by the Suffolk County Legislature a few weeks prior, and will now be on the ballot this November for voters to decide if these changes should take effect.
The County Executive was joined by members of the Legislative Majority in Presiding Officer Kevin McCaffrey, Deputy Presiding Officer Steve Flotteron, Majority Leader Nick Caracappa and Legislators Stephanie Bontempi, Dominick Thorne and Leslie Kennedy for the signing and a small press conference. Said Legislator Bontempi, This change is healthy for government as it will incentivize efficiency of those in office and provide more opportunities for new people to serve.
The Suffolk County Legislature’s Presiding Officer, Legislator Kevin McCaffrey represents Suffolk County's 14th Legislative District, which encompasses the Villages of Lindenhurst and Babylon, the hamlets of West Babylon and North Lindenhurst, portions of Copiague, North Babylon, and Babylon's barrier beach communities.