Safer and More Affordable Suffolk

Supporting Law Enforcement

• Secured more than $12 million to fund the Suffolk County Police Department, which provides support to East End Police Departments. 

• Working closely with County Executive Romaine and District Attorney Ray Tierney, opposing the liberal policies that have allowed violent and dangerous criminals to walk free after committing heinous crimes.

• Additional Police Officers: Provided funding for the hiring of a further 220 Police Officers who will patrol the County and keep citizens safe. Unlike the Democratic Party, the Romaine/Stark Team stands with the police and will not vote to defund them, but rather defend them.

• ShotSpotter: Reestablished the ShotSpotter gunshot detection system to help law enforcement combat the dramatic surge in gun-related crimes.

• Street Racing: Passed a law to crack down on dangerous street racing and sideshows that have had a detrimental impact on the quality of life in communities across Suffolk County.

• District Attorney's Office: Provided the District Attorney with funding to hire additional Assistant District Attorneys, investigators, and technical support personnel who will enforce the law and ensure that justice is swift and present in Suffolk County.

• Catalytic Converters: Joined with our partners in Nassau County to adopt a regional approach to combat the dramatic rise in catalytic converter theft by passing legislation that requires accurate recordkeeping by junkyards as to the source of catalytic converters to cut off criminals' ability to sell stolen converters.

Supporting Veterans and the Military

• Hosted the countywide Veterans Expo in Riverhead to help streamline resource information for veterans and their families.

• Enhanced housing legislation for veterans and individuals with disabilities to increase housing accessibility.

• Helped establish a new fund to help Veterans struggling to pay their utility bills.

• Supported legislation requiring affordable housing projects receiving County funds to set aside affordable units for veterans.

• Amended the Suffolk County Code to waive the application fee for civil service examinations for active-duty military, members of the reserves, and the National Guard.

Protecting Our Children

• The Romaine/Stark Team is revamping the Child Protective Services department to address the critical needs of children in potentially abusive situations.

• In the wake of the grand jury report released by District Attorney Ray Tierney related to the tragic murder of Thomas Valva, the Romaine/Stark Team has continued to force change in the county's response to protect our most vulnerable residents: our children.

• Banned the sale of camouflaged vaping devices in Suffolk County to curb underage smoking.

Affordable Suffolk

• Saved Taxpayers more than $11 million in unlawful Fees and Taxes.

• Red Light Cameras: Repealed the illegal $30 Red Light Camera administrative fee imposed by Democrats, saving taxpayers approximately $35 million over the next five years.

• Mortgage Verification Fee: Adopted legislation to close a potential loophole and prevent an automatic increase to the mortgage verification fee

• Suffolk County is in strong fiscal health, earning four bond upgrades in 2024, without placing a burden on taxpayers. It earned an AAA Bond rating, saving taxpayers millions.

• Adopted a temporary suspension of Suffolk County's gas tax during the economic crisis in 2022, saving consumers approximately $13.5 million.

• Abolished the campaign finance program to prevent taxpayer money from being spent on political campaigns and instead spent on public safety initiatives such as the ShotSpotter program.

• Approved the addition of 1,000 Video Lottery Terminals (VLTs) to enhance gaming revenue and support local economic growth.

Protecting the Environment

• Sponsored legislation for over $9 million earmarked for waterfront preservation.

• Increased penalties on polluters of County parks and Pine Barrens, and increased rewards for reporting pollution to keep our parks serene.

• Preserved more than 150 acres of farmland by authorizing over $15 million in open space acquisition for farmland preservation.

• Working with County Executive Romaine, Legislator Stark implemented a program that will fund major water and wastewater projects.

• The program provides money for individual IA systems and major sewage infrastructure.

• Romaine/Stark Team is leading the way in implementing tertiary treatment systems to recharge the aquifer.

• Passed the historic Water Protection Bill that will fund critical wastewater infrastructure and projects for future generations in Suffolk County.

• Approved $440 million in funding for sewer projects throughout Suffolk County.

• Provided funding for sewer studies throughout the County so that parts of the County can be connected to sewers, protecting our groundwater.

• Provided grant assistance for the installation of innovative and alternative onsite wastewater treatment systems for homeowners.

• Approved a pilot program to provide grants and assistance, allowing small businesses to connect to sewers.

• Spearheaded the acquisition of hundreds of acres of land in Suffolk County for open space. These acquisitions will preserve Suffolk County's suburban and rural character, prevent overdevelopment and urbanization of the county, while protecting our sole source aquifer.

• Approved $24.2 million for improvements and renovations for historical sites and museums throughout Suffolk County.

• Approved legislation to add certification requirements to the sale of lithium-ion storage batteries for electric assist bicycles and other powered mobility devices to keep Suffolk County residents safe from fires caused by faulty batteries from overseas.

• Passed a law to allow motorcycles to park in spots designated for Clean Pass vehicles.

Upgraded Infrastructure

• Improve roads and enhance safety after years of neglect.

• Improved county facilities, parks, and systems.

• Began or completed major water and wastewater projects throughout the county.

• Provided the necessary funding for the rehabilitation of various bridges, roads, and sewers throughout Suffolk County.

• Approved over $55 million to repair, resurface, and make safety improvements to Suffolk County roads.

• Provided funding to ensure that community input was incorporated into the new Smith Point Bridge, a vital piece of infrastructure to access one of the most utilized County beaches.

• Approved $31 million in upgrades to the Suffolk County Bus Rapid Transit system.

• Granted authorization for the utilization of County property to allow the building of an offshore wind project that will power nearly 600,000 homes with clean energy and create over 800 jobs.

Information Technology

• Suffolk County now has cyber insurance, which is critical following the 2022 cyberattack that cost taxpayers $27 million.

• The county hired a Chief Information Security Officer and, in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security, a Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) advisor.

• Created the Cyberattack Investigations Committee to thoroughly investigate the most significant cyberattack in Suffolk County's history and ensure accountability.

• Passed legislation to improve the notification process of cybersecurity breaches by County contractors and vendors.

Parks

• Suffolk has one of the nation's premier public park systems, but years of neglect required immediate action. Some of the projects include:

• New accessible playgrounds at Meschutt County Park and Gardiner Park for the 2025 season.

• Beach restoration at Meschutt Beach to expand capacity.

• Cupsogue Beach pavilion and restroom improvements are scheduled to begin in the fall of 2025, with completion expected in 2026. Restoration of historic county properties is soon to begin, preserving our history for future generations.

Affordable Housing

• Adopted legislation that has resulted in over 550 affordable housing units being built in Suffolk County. The Majority continues to work to make Suffolk County more affordable for all while preventing overdevelopment and urbanization in the county.

Term Limits

• The Legislative Majority closed the "term limits loophole." This loophole enabled an individual to serve a full twelve (12) years, leave office, and then return to run again and serve another full twelve (12) years. The adopted legislation was overwhelmingly approved in a voter referendum, receiving 85% voter approval.

Fighting Albany’s Overreach of Power

• Took legal action and led the fight to stop New York City from relocating migrants into Suffolk County neighborhoods, protecting local communities from being overwhelmed.

• Opposed the Governor's plan to take over local zoning, fighting to preserve Suffolk County's character and prevent the urbanization of our communities.

Protecting Pets

• Enacted a local law to strengthen protections for animals by restricting those convicted of animal abuse from owning pets.