Housing, economic development, infrastructure: One year in, Suffolk executive Romaine talks priorities

The 12th floor office atop the H. Lee Dennison Building provides picturesque views and a glimpse into the past for Suffolk County Executive Edward P. Romaine.

Looking east out the window across from his desk, Romaine can see Hauppauge Middle School, where he once taught history. He occasionally reflects on how he likely would have retired years ago had his path not veered from education to elected office, he said.

Instead, at 78, at the back end of a political career that spans four decades, he enters his second year as leader of a county of 1.5 million people with an eye toward economic development, boosting affordable housing, rebuilding county infrastructure and improving water quality through sewer expansion and water reuse projects.

"I’m motivated by the job I do," he said. "I’m motivated by the people I serve."

In an interview with Newsday recapping his first year in office, the county executive said his focus is on financial stability and "issues that are germane to this county."

Looking at the current year, he discussed the future of the Ronkonkoma redevelopment formerly called Midway Crossing, his support for solar projects and renewable energy, public safety and the county’s role in immigration enforcement.

Lawmakers described the county executive as accessible, evenhanded and focused on the task at hand — an old-school Republican who eschews culture wars in an increasingly polarizing national political landscape.

"He’s very much in the tradition of — 'the election’s over, let’s get to work,' ” said Legis. Steven Englebright (D-Setauket), who served alongside Romaine when they were both first elected to the legislature in the early 1980s. "The overall tenor is traditional and sincere."

Budget focus

Romaine took office in January 2024, replacing term-limited Democrat Steve Bellone, after 12 years as Brookhaven Town supervisor. Before that, Romaine served four terms in the legislature representing the North Fork and a portion of Brookhaven.

Romaine, who lives in Center Moriches, highlighted the county’s 2025 $4 billion budget as a success of his first year. The budget fell within the state’s 2% tax cap in a "very difficult year," he said, due to an increase in mandated pension costs and health insurance premiums, among other factors.

He has vowed as county executive to never pierce the tax cap, "no matter how difficult it gets."

In September, the credit rating agency Fitch upgraded Suffolk’s rating from A- to A.

Legis. Steven Flotteron (R-Brightwaters), the deputy presiding officer and chair of the budget and finance committee, said the county received four bond upgrades since Romaine became county executive, reversing a trend under the prior administration.

"That just shows how much he’s managing things," he said.

Romaine said his goal is for the county to achieve an AAA bond rating by the end of his term.

With so much uncertainty over future federal funding amid the ongoing slashes under the Trump administration, Romaine said, "of course there’s concern" as it relates to the county.

"You expect the unexpected and you have to plan and budget for that," he said.

Immigration pressures

At recent legislature meetings, some residents have urged the county executive and legislators to take a more proactive approach to stand up for immigrants as threats of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids grow more common.

Before the Feb. 4 legislature meeting, Myrna Gordon, of Port Jefferson, stood outside the Evans K. Griffing Building with several other demonstrators.

"We're here to tell Ed Romaine and our Suffolk County legislators that we will do whatever is necessary to resist any type of illegal tactics used to round up and detain our immigrants," she said in an interview.

Romaine said the county's police officers do not ask someone's immigration status unless they are arrested. The county this month filed an appeal after a federal judge ruled the county violated constitutional rights of hundreds of immigrants who were held in jail on ICE detainers between 2016 and 2018 during the prior administration. Officials have estimated the county could be held liable for a payout of as much as $60 million.

"We’re not detaining anyone or being involved in any detentions unless there’s a judicial warrant," Romaine said of the current policy.

On public safety, Romaine said his current budget added 220 police officers, which amounted to a net gain of about 90 to 95, factoring for retirements. Earlier this month, the legislature approved Romaine's pick for police commissioner, Kevin Catalina.

Legis. Rob Trotta (R-Fort Salonga), an outspoken critic of the county’s police department who abstained from the legislature’s vote, offered a short take on the county executive in a prior interview: "He’s a nice guy; he’s like a grandfather."

Ronkonkoma redevelopment

Last month, the county terminated the master developer of the $2.8 billion redevelopment project in Ronkonkoma, formerly known as Midway Crossing. Romaine said the county will seek private developers through an expression of interest to restart the project.

He declined to specify what he might prefer to see in the area, saying, "I don’t do private industry."

Public money used on the project would be limited to infrastructure, he said.

"We’re looking at a lot of different options there and we’re willing to be open minded about that," he said.

By the end of 2025, Romaine said the county should "have a very good idea" of the type of developments proposed for Ronkonkoma.

The state recently pledged $150 million to connect the LIRR station at the Ronkonkoma site to a new terminal to be built at adjacent Long Island MacArthur Airport.

Lawmakers credited Romaine for his ability to forge relationships with partners in different parties, such  as Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat.

In early January at the Long Island Association’s 2025 State of the Region Breakfast, Hochul acknowledged Romaine during a speech.

"Now this is a guy who knows how to get a governor's heart," she said, describing how Romaine greeted her with a bouquet of flowers for her birthday when she visited last August following a storm that caused significant flooding and damage.

Romaine said while there are policies of Hochul’s he does not agree with, he believes he has an "obligation" to work with other elected officials, especially when it comes to securing benefits for the county.

Bipartisan cooperation

Dating back to his time as a county legislator, Romaine developed a reputation for working across the aisle, legislators said. While Republicans hold a supermajority in the legislature, Democrats said Romaine is willing to listen to concerns raised by the minority party.

Legis. Jason Richberg (D-West Babylon), the minority leader, described him as a "true partner" to the caucus, highlighting Romaine’s environmental initiatives as common ground.

In late December, the county announced a water reuse proposal to allow the county-owned Bergen Point Golf Course to use treated wastewater from a nearby sewage plant for irrigation.

Romaine said he hopes to expand that program to other areas of the county, adding that it’s not enough to discuss water quality, but to also focus on water quantity.

"It’s critical," he said.

Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer, a Democrat who leads the Suffolk County Supervisors Association, said Romaine has been "tremendously cooperative."

"We’ve had more communication with him as county executive in one year than we did all of Bellone’s 12 years as county executive," he said.

He praised Romaine’s goal of adding sewers to areas of Deer Park, Wyandanch and Wheatley Heights, which he said could be installed by 2028 or 2029.

"Both the residential and commercial properties will greatly benefit from that," Schaffer said.

Schaffer, who served in the legislature alongside Romaine, is also chairman of the Suffolk County Democratic Committee. He said if Democrats believe something isn’t being done correctly, they’ll call it out, "but we’re not going to do it for the sake of doing it because we’re supposed to be the opposition."

Romaine has not yet indicated if he’ll seek a second term, saying that’s a decision he’ll make closer to the 2027 election.

"A lot of that, at my stage in life, depends on my health," he said.

In early January, as the legislature convened for its annual organizational meeting, Romaine stood at the podium to outline a brief overview of the year to come. As he finished, he turned toward the legislators seated in the horseshoe and waved his right hand.

"I’m going back to work," he said.

By Joe Werkmeister

joe.werkmeister@newsday.com

Joe Werkmeister covers the towns of Southampton, East Hampton and Shelter Island. He is a graduate of St. Bonaventure University and previously worked as the editor of two North Fork community newspapers.

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