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County Executive Bellone to Legislature: ‘We need to work together’

Suffolk County Executive
ROBERT O'ROURK FILE PHOTO | Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, shown here on election night, took the unusual step Tuesday of addressing the Suffolk County Legislature during ne of its meetings.

Appearing before the Suffolk County Legislature on his first full day in office, County Executive Steve Bellone said Tuesday that the executive and legislative branches in Suffolk will need to work together to overcome what may be the “greatest fiscal crisis this county has ever seen.”

Mr. Bellone said a bi-partisan task force that will include both legislators — including East End Legislator Ed Romaine — and members of his the County Executive’s staff will soon be formed to help strengthen relations between the two branches and tackle the challenges the county faces.

The Legislature’s presiding officer, William Lindsay, said Mr. Bellone’s appearance was the first time a sitting County Executive has addressed the Legislature at one of its meetings in more than a decade.

Listen to Mr. Bellone’s entire six-minute address below: