Steve Bellone delivering his State of the County speech on March 5. (Credit: Courtesy)
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone delivered his annual State of the County address last W in the Legislature’s meeting room in Hauppauge.
Below is a transcript of the address in its entirety, as provided by Mr .Bellone’s office.
TIM KELLY FILE PHOTO | Regina Calcaterra announcing her candidacy for State Senator in 2009.
County Comptroller Joe Sawicki is about to give up his status as the North Fork’s lone representative in the upper levels of county government.
In January the Southold resident will share that distinction with New Suffolk’s Regina Calcaterra, recently tapped by County Executive-elect Steve Ballone, Babylon’s Democratic supervisor, to be his chief deputy county executive.
Mr. Bellone is succeeding Mr. Levy, a Democrat turned Republican who decided against seeking reelection in the wake of the Suffolk district attorney’s investigation into his campaign fund-raising. Mr. Bellone defeated County Treasurer Angie Carpenter in November.
Ms. Calcaterra, who grew up homeless but rose to became a corporate fraud attorney, said she’s thrilled at the opportunity to serve in the Bellone administration.
That means putting her legal career on hold.
“I have a great admiration for government and the integral role is plays in our lives, especially because I was on the receiving side of government services as a child.”
She said her job will be to “implement Steve Bellone’s agenda, which is doing more with less. Right now my task is to do the best for Suffolk County residents, and that can be done quickly. It will take time to transform government, which will be my primary focus for the next two years.”