Brookhaven approves pay raises for three town positions

The Brookhaven Town Board has approved raises ranging from 8.24 percent to 13.67 percent for three elected town officials.

Town Supervisor Edward P. Romaine said pay increases had not been approved in at least eight years for the town highway superintendent, town clerk and receiver of taxes. He said the raises, approved unanimously on Tuesday, would help Brookhaven keep pace with salaries offered by other Long Island towns.

“You want to stay competitive,” Romaine said before voting to approve the pay hikes. “You want to make these jobs attractive to good candidates in the future.”

Highway Superintendent Daniel Losquadro’s new salary is $112,000. Town Clerk Donna Lent and Receiver of Taxes Louis Marcoccia will make 100,000 each. All three are Republicans.

The raises were questioned before the vote by the leader of a union representing the town’s part-time employees.

The 171 members of Local 852 make an average of $12 per hour and have not received raises in several years, said the group’s president, Clifford Hymowitz.

“I’m happy that the town has the money to give them raises,” he told town board members. “I would just hope for the same consideration for our part-timers.”

The raises also were questioned by taxpayer James Wilkie.

“They no doubt deserve a raise,” he said, referring to Losquadro, Lent and Marcoccia. “But we all deserve a raise and we’re not getting one. ... Taxpayers, as you know, are hurting.”

Town Attorney Annette Eaderesto said the new salaries were based on a “mean average” of pay given by other towns to employees holding the same positions.

The previous salaries paid by Brookhaven had been “lower than towns that are much smaller,” Eaderesto said.

She added that town residents may request a public referendum on the raises by submitting petitions within 45 days.

By Carl MacGowan

carl.macgowan@newsday.comCarlMacGowan

Carl MacGowan is a Long Island native who covers Brookhaven Town after having previously covered Smithtown, Suffolk County courts and numerous spot news and feature stories over his 20-plus year career at Newsday.