SUFFFOLK CLOSEUP: NYS Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele

SUFFOLK CLOSEUP

By Karl Grossman

 Allow me to add my voice to the chorus in high praise of State Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele, Jr. upon his decision not to run for re-election to the Assembly after nearly 30 years. Thiele, as a village, town, county, and state official over a 45-year span, has been, in a word, superlative. 

In covering thousands of government officials in Suffolk County as a journalist here for more than 60 years, Thiele has been at the top.

He began as a Republican, then as Southampton Town supervisor ran at the head of the environmental Southampton Party ticket, then joined the Independence Party and finally was a Democrat.

As another highly independent figure, to our west, New York City Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia, would often say, “I could run on a laundry ticket”—and win. 

So could Fred Thiele.

“It’s been a great honor and I’ve loved every day of it,” commented Thiele. But the commute to and from Albany and “living out of a suitcase six months a year doesn’t have the same appeal when you’re 70 years old.”

As he related in his poignant statement announcing his leaving the State Assembly: “Government service was my dream from my days as a student in elementary school in Sag Harbor when I heard the call of President John F. Kennedy to ‘ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.’ Being chosen by my neighbors to be their representative has truly been the greatest honor in my professional life,”

“I have successfully run for public office 19 times and have served the East End in the State Assembly longer than any other person in the history of New York State. I now look forward to other opportunities to serve the community that has been home to my family for almost 200 years.”

“I will always be indebted to my predecessor, the late John Behan who gave me the chance to come home and begin my professional life,” continued Thiele, who first entered government as an aide to the Assemblyman Behan. “A true American hero, John’s life was an example to all on what it means to be a leader.”

“I had a chance to serve with former State Senator Ken LaValle in Albany for 25 years. He is the definition of a ‘statesman.’ I cherish the special bond we developed through the years that transcended government and politics.”

“There are many victories and achievements that come from a lengthy career in public office, most notably the Community Preservation Fund,” said Thiele. “There have been many successes that have kept eastern Long Island a special place. It has been a privilege to have the opportunity to shape the future of our community and to work with others to achieve goals that are larger than ourselves. That has been one of the rewards of public service.”

“At the end of this year, I will close this chapter of my life,” he said. “I look forward to new beginnings. There will be new challenges and new ways of serving. Endings and beginnings are bittersweet. I am guided by the advice of Dr. Seuss: ‘Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.’”

The Community Preservation Fund, begun in 1999, was an especially outstanding achievement of Thiele. Through a 2% transfer tax paid by purchasers on higher priced real estate transactions, it has generated about $2 billion so far, for open space acquisitions, historic preservation and water quality initiatives in the five eastern Suffolk towns.

It has been a key in keeping much of Suffolk County green.

There’s been so, so much more done by the enormously active Thiele.

Most recently, as co-chair of the Legislative Commission on the Future of the Long Island Power Authority, he has been central in the effort to have LIPA itself operate the electric grid on Long Island, not having it done by a third-party. As the commission’s final report concluded, having LIPA run the grid rather than contracting it out “to a private, for-profit utility will save ratepayers at least a half billion dollars over ten years, improve efficiency and accountability, and increase local control and community output.” 

It would be another big victory of Thiele’s—and of great benefit to ratepayers here—if the State Legislature and Governor Kathy Hochul this year support the change.

Said Bob DeLuca, president of the Group for the East End, of Thiele: “Without question, he was a once-in-a-generation leader. He has been a consistent, rational and strategic voice for change. He was able to bring people together when it was not always easy. I don’t know anyone who works harder.”

Suffolk Democratic Chairman Rich Schaffer, with whom Thiele worked closely with as members of the Suffolk Legislature, and is a good friend, describes his departure from the State Assembly as “a big loss to us all.” Schaffer, now Babylon Town supervisor, speaks of how Thiele “will be remembered as one of the most significant public officials on his environmental record that will help generations to come.”

Karl Grossman is a veteran investigative reporter and columnist, the winner of numerous awards for his work and a member of the L.I. Journalism Hall of Fame. He is a professor of journalism at SUNY/College at Old Westbury and the author of six books.