Police Respond To Halo Lounge Smithtown One Arrest Made

Suffolk County Police today arrested a man who ran over a Brentwood man with his vehicle and injured him in Smithtown early this morning.

Fourth Precinct police officers responded to Halo Lounge, located at 281 West Main Street in Smithtown, after a 911 caller reported a fight at that location at 1:59 a.m. When officers arrived, witnesses stated that Richard Beltre struck Geraldo Martinez with a 2009 Maserati. Witnesses also stated that a second person may have been hit but that person left before officers arrived.

Martinez , 20, of Brentwood, was transported to Stony Brook University Medical Center with a broken hip.   Fourth Squad detectives charged Beltre, 22, of 50 North Ronald Drive, Amityville, with Assault 2nd Degree and Reckless Endangerment 2nd Degree.

The investigation is continuing. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Fourth Squad at 631-854-8452.

A criminal charge is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty

Smithtown Students Write Essays For VFW Essay Contest

PHOTO CAPTION – HS WEST: left to right: Mr. Tom Mooney of Smithtown’s VFW Post 10870, Finalists Jessica Cichy, Elizabeth Rus, Claire Taveras, Third Prize Winner Matthew Rodriguez, Finalist Lauren Jusas and Mr. Ed Hemp of Smithtown’s VFW Post 10870.Over 180 students at HSW and HSE participated in the Veterans of PHOTO CAPTION – HS EAST: left to right: Assistant Superintendent Maria Rianna, Superintendent Edward Ehmann, Michael Chlystun Social Studies Director, Tom Mooney of Smithtown’s VFW Post 10870, 2nd Place Winner Victoria Timmel, 1st Place Winner Shaina Ailawadi, Michael Reed, HSE Principal Ed Thompson, Ed Temp of Smithtown’s VFW Post 10870 Kneeling: Sarah Spellman, Amanda Stoerback, Social Studies Teacher Shaun Minton  Foreign Wars essay contest.  Five finalists from each building were invited to record their essays to be submitted for judging by the VFW, and three students were selected to receive scholarships.  The first and second prize winners are students at High School East and the third prize winner is a student at High School West.  All ten students were honored at awards breakfasts in their buildings on Wednesday, November 30.  Mr. Tom Mooney and Mr. Ed Hemp of Smithtown’s VFW Post 10870 were in attendance to present scholarship checks to the top three finishers and certificates of achievement to all students.  The students from HSW are: Third Prize Winner: Matthew Rodriguez   - Finalists:      Jessica Cichy, Lauren Jusas,  Elizabeth Rus and Claire Taveras.  The students from HSE are: First Prize Winner: Shaina Ailawadi - Second Prize Winner: Victoria Timmel - Finalists:  Michael Reed, Sarah Spellman and Amanda Stoerback.

Assemblyman Fitzpatrick - "No Ifs, Ands Or Buts"

Part II

For Part I click here

The month of December is holiday month.  Gift giving and preparations for holiday celebrations take priority over what is happening in Albany. And while business owners are focused on sales and profits, there seems to be a collective sense that by enacting the Middle Class Tax Cut and Job Creation Plan, NYS government has “done the right thing”.

The Middle Class Tax Cut and Job Creation Plan includes the following; In Suffolk County over 34,000 businesses will no longer have to deal with what has been called the “job-killing MTA Payroll Tax.” There has been a restructuring of the tax rates that will benefit middle-class taxpayers and an infrastructure fund has been created to rebuild roads and bridges.

Senator John Flanagan issued a statement “This was a truly bipartisan effort that should show our residents and all businesses that New York is changing how we operate.  Over the past year, the Senate has worked with Governor Cuomo to make the changes New Yorkers need and deserve and this plan is another great step forward in that process.  This plan delivers tax relief to residents who sorely need it, provides businesses with incentives to grow and create jobs and invests in our infrastructure so our state will continue to recover.”Offering a counter view of the Middle Class Tax Cut and Job Creation Plan is Assemblyman Fitzpatrick.

Assemblyman Fitzpatrick took a hard line on the legislation.  “Politics good, economics not good.” But, according to some like Kings Park resident (and 2010 Democratic Assembly candidate) Richard Macellaro “voting against this legislation which decreased taxes for the middle-class, reduced or revoked the MTA tax on small business and established a fund to repair roads and bridges was just wrong.  It sends the message that the MTA tax is acceptable, that crumbling bridges and roadways are acceptable, and it sends a message that tax credits for the rich are more important than helping the middle class.”  

Fitzpatrick disagrees with the logic behind the legislation “you cannot single out a specific group (the legislation increases the tax rate for those who have incomes of more than $2 million dollars) and increase their tax burden while cutting taxes for everyone else. The people in this group are mobile and have options.  Changing their residency to low tax states is a real concern that would further reduce the state’s revenue.” 

Fitzpatrick argues that without addressing the issues of escalating health care costs, defined pension costs and reworking the Triborough Amendment, New York State government cannot survive let alone thrive.  “I have put forward a plan to remove elected officials from the defined pension program, which I see as the first step in reforming the state’s pension program.  All of our schools, libraries and local governments are facing the reality of shrinking revenues, tax caps and increased pension costs.” 

Fitzpatrick finds the Triborough Amendment troublesome.  The Triborough Amendment established in 1982 prevents public employers from altering provisions of expired contracts until an agreement is reached.  The amendment allows employees with expired contracts to continue to accrue pay increases (steps) and longevity pay. The Triborough amendment with the Taylor Law (1967) set out rules for contract negotiation in the public sector.  The Taylor Law allows for the right to organize, and permits collective bargaining for wages, benefits and working conditions.  The law prohibits strikes by public workers.  “We must rein in some of the costs associated with the our public workers.  Establishing an additional Tier, removing automatic step increases and reworking the state’s pension system will help the public more than the “peanuts” they are being offered in the form of tax cuts. Singling out those who contribute much and take risks is not the answer to New York State’s economic problems.”

The political pressure for enacting this legislation came from all over the Occupy Wall street message provided the impetus, and legislators reacted. I do not believe in raising taxes and this is a tax increase no ifs ands or buts” Fitzpatrick stated

Richard Macellaro offered his vision of elected office.  “Governing is not about saying no to everything whereby nothing gets done.  Governing is finding a compromise between two different points of view with the interests of the public as priority number one. “

Assemblyman Fitzpatrick Votes No On Middle Class Tax Cut

On December 7^th the New York State Legislature voted on Governor Cuomo’s Middle Class Tax Cut.  The State Senate was unanimous in its support for the legislation that included tax cuts for most New Yorkers and eliminates the MTA tax for small businesses with payrolls between $10,000 and $1.25 million.  For businesses with higher payrolls there will be a reduction in the MTA tax.  In the Assembly, the legislation passed, but not unanimously.  There were six Republicans and two Democrats who voted Nay. Republican Michael Fitzpatrick was the only member of the Long Island delegation to vote nay.

The MTA tax enacted in 2009 has been a hot issue for Long Islanders who feel that they have been unreasonably burdened with this tax.  The NYS Republican Party on its website states, “Repealing the MTA payroll tax is essential for New York State to become more economically competitive, to help businesses expand and create new jobs.”  With bilateral support for the new tax brackets and abolition and reduction of the MTA tax, why would anyone vote against the legislation?

In a phone interview with Assemblyman Fitzpatrick, the Assemblyman explained his rationale for voting in opposition to the legislation.

“I am not convinced that this is good policy.  It seems they got the politics right, but the economics wrong.”  Assemblyman Fitzpatrick is steadfast in his position that raising taxes without cutting costs is unacceptable.  “ The bill had a lot of goodies to attract a lot of votes and the MTA tax cut was a big incentive for supporting the legislation.  The legislation was sold to people as providing the lowest tax rates in 58 years, but the reality is for the families who are at or earn the median income, the result is a $3 per week reduction in their taxes.  That is peanuts when you consider the burden you are putting on a small segment of taxpayers.”

“The problem I see is that NYS government is attempting to balance the State budget on the backs of a small number of people by raising their taxes.  The people who will be most impacted negatively are those with high risks in the market and are the most mobile.  They can move into a state with a lower tax burden.  This type of selective taxing does not work.  It hasn’t worked in states such as California, where it has been tried and it will not work here in New York.”

“The new legislation, despite its portrayal as a tax cut, is increasing the tax burden for a select group of people.  The tax surcharge (implemented after 9-11 by the Pataki administration) was set to expire on December 31, 2011.  The new legislation increases the tax bracket for those earning over two million dollars a year but it also raises their taxes at the same time you are reducing everyone else’s tax burden. 

Household Income	2011	2012	Difference
$40k-$150k	6.85%	6.45%	-0.4%
$150k-$300k	6.85%	6.65%	-0.2%
$300k-$500k	6.85+surtax=7.85%	6.85%	-1%
$500k-$2M	6.85+surtax=8.97%	6.85%	-2.12%
$2M+	6.85+surtax=8.97%	8.82%	-0.15%

(Chart – ProPublica Dec. 8)

Assemblyman Fitzpatrick emphasized the need for New York State to cut costs rather than raise taxes.  He focused on three specific areas where cost cutting is warranted.  The three areas are health care, defined benefit programs for public employees and the Triborough Amendment.  Part II Tomorrow

Smithtown Saab Volkswagen Mechanic Patrick Rueb - Top 50 Volkswagen Mechanics In US

Selden, NY – Patrick Rueb, a resident of Sayville and a member of Suffolk County Community College’s Class of 2003, was recently selected as one of the top 50 Volkswagen mechanics in the nation. As part of the recognition, Mr. Rueb has been invited compete in a corporate-wide competition for technicians in Dallas, Texas sponsored by Volkswagen of America. Mr. Rueb was the only Volkswagen mechanic from Long Island to meet the criteria for selection. There are more than 4,500 Volkswagen mechanics nationwide.

Mr. Rueb works locally at Smithtown Saab Volkswagen and is co-president of the Long Island Volkswagen Club. He is a graduate of the College’s Automotive Technology Program. Click Here