Letters

I am proud to stand with county executive candidate John Kennedy and work to get out our message to voters. I am running for Suffolk County legislator for the South Fork, which spans from Moriches to Montauk and includes Shelter Island. I bring to the table common sense and know-how as former town supervisor and councilwoman, with 14 years of dedicated service to the community working at the executive and legislative level of Southampton Town government.

I have demonstrated time and time again that I stand up for the taxpayers and can make the difficult decisions. I have also shown that I can reach across party lines to work for the common good and that I truly care about people from all walks of life.

The most critical priority is restoring fiscal sanity to county government, and to move Suffolk County forward toward a brighter future. Under the current Democratic administration, there is a negative outlook predicted by bond rating agencies due to years of fiscal mismanagement and political budgeting. It is mind-boggling that the Steve Bellone administration claims to be “protecting the taxpayer” and “protecting the environment”!

Did you know:

• Suffolk County’s bond rating is now just one grade above junk bond status! Over $300 million has been borrowed by the Democratic majority in the County Legislature to pay pension costs! The county’s accumulated debt is over $2 billion. All that borrowing means that tax revenue goes to pay down debt rather than fixing roads, maintaining parks and providing other public services.

• Taxes and fees have been raised by over $200 million since Bellone was elected county executive with rubber-stamp Democratic legislators voting yes to every fee, tax and spending increase. Rather than cutting spending, fees were created and raised — alarm fees, red light camera fees, mortgage recording fees, park fees, vehicle registration fees and more!

• Year after year, the $3 billion county budget is unbalanced, meaning we continue to spend much more than we are bringing in.

• A state appellate court, for a second time, has ruled that a $29.4 million diversion from the Drinking Water Protection Program was illegal. All told, Suffolk County has borrowed over $171 million from clean water environmental funds — and now the taxpayers have to pay it all back!

On Election Day, I hope to earn your vote of confidence. For more info, visit: www.LindaKabotForSuffolk.com.

Linda A. KabotQuogue Ms. Kabot is on the Republican, Conservative and Libertarian party lines in the 2nd Legislative District race for the Suffolk County Legislature — Ed.