Trotta runs for Smithtown supervisor on antidevelopment plank

Daily Point

Legislator's campaign faults Wehrheim for accepting Hochul's $10,000,000 downtown revitalization award

Suffolk County Legis. Rob Trotta is challenging incumbent Edward Wehrheim for the Republican nomination for Smithtown Town supervisor; it’s the second GOP split in key town races to surface this month. And the challengers' platforms are similar: no development.

Trotta’s "Save the Town of Smithtown" campaign focuses on criticizing plans to redevelop Kings Park’s central business district around the Long Island Rail Road station — plans that may include additional housing.

In the Town of Huntington, the challengers’ slogan is "Save Huntington" and the central issue is plans to redevelop the area around the Huntington Quadrangle in Melville. See The Point's previous report here.

Trotta’s "Save the Town of Smithtown is a movement to elect officials dedicated to preserving the character, beauty and integrity of our town," the insurgency’s Facebook page says.

Trotta, who is barred by term limits from running again for his legislative seat, is a well-known and at times controversial figure in Suffolk County politics. A former Suffolk County detective, Trotta has been a longtime critic of the Suffolk Police Benevolent Association; more recently, he has targeted the salaries of nonprofit chief executives.

But in his challenge of Wehrheim, Trotta is focusing on a different issue but with familiar rhetoric.

"They want to Queens-ify Suffolk County," Trotta told The Point in an interview this week. "If you want to build this stuff, go to Ronkonkoma. I don’t want to see it in Smithtown and the residents of Smithtown don’t want to see it."

On his campaign Facebook page, Trotta criticizes Wehrheim for accepting a $10 million state Downtown Revitalization Initiative, which the town was awarded last year for the Kings Park area.

Accompanying the critique is a photo of Wehrheim and Gov. Kathy Hochul during a photo-op ceremony when the town won the $10 million.

What the cropped photo doesn’t show, however, is that Trotta himself was at the event and in photos with Hochul and Wehrheim as they celebrated the win.

Trotta told The Point that his definition of downtown revitalization is more specific, adding that he’d support buried utility wires, better parking, improved signage, upgraded lighting, sidewalks and benches, and open space. He said he does not favor state funds going to small businesses to "fix up their businesses" or to build significant numbers of apartments, particularly rental units.

Wehrheim told The Point that Trotta is "putting fear into people" and giving development a "negative connotation" by comparing Smithtown to Queens. He said Trotta’s idea of burying power lines was rejected by PSEG Long Island because the road is too narrow. And he noted that the master plans have established limits in terms of height and the number of units that can be built in Kings Park.

"We put those safeguards to prevent any kind of overdevelopment," Wehrheim said. "My theory is this is an absolute necessity. Smithtown was stagnant and deteriorating for years ... I believe we’re on the right track ... I’m going to run on that record and just keep moving forward with what we’re doing."

Suffolk County Republican Party chairman Jesse Garcia told The Point that primaries in town supervisor races, especially in the county’s western towns like Huntington and Smithtown, are rare, noting that the party’s committees in both towns are supporting the incumbents.

"We defend the line and we move forward with those candidates designated by the committee people who cast a vote for them at their conventions." Garcia said.

Garcia said the challenges can actually help the party and the incumbents.

"The voters of both municipalities are going to have the benefit of having their doors and mailboxes filled with those pamphlets that espouse the Republican philosophy and ideals," Garcia said. "That actually expands our brand."

Trotta, however, said the definition of Republican has been muddled by the development efforts in both towns.

"It’s ridiculous what they’re doing. It’s indicative of Republicans who are supposed to be Republicans acting 10 times worse than Democrats when it comes to this housing," Trotta said. "Republicans should want to keep Smithtown, Smithtown, not Queens."

Sources told The Point that Trotta’s petitions are not being challenged, while certain objections have been filed against the petitions of Huntington Town council member Brooke Lupinacci, who is challenging Supervisor Ed Smyth.

— Randi F. Marshall randi.marshall@newsday.com

Pencil Point

This stinks

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Great Eggs-pectations Point

High prices might eggs-it

Egg prices are maintaining a retreat from February’s highs while other items in grocery carts are taking their turn putting pressure on the household budgets of Long Islanders.

According to Trading Economics, a website that tracks and collects first party data, the national average price for a dozen eggs in April 2024 was $2.48. That’s quite a contrast from earlier this year when eggs reached their national peak in February of $8.03 a dozen. The current national average is $3.13. Factors for the recent decrease in the price of eggs likely include fewer cases of bird flu, egg imports by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and lower demand from consumers. However, with Passover and Easter celebrations, eggs are still a traditional must-have for many.

For the last three weeks, 12 large white eggs have been $4.99 at the Long Island supermarket The Point has been monitoring. Four other Long Island supermarkets are also offering the same price this week.

Yet, this little bit of relief might be short-lived as President Donald Trump’s tariffs threaten to increase the price of other popular items we don’t produce much of in the United States.

In the past three decades, the appetite of Americans for imported seafood has increased every year; by 2022, 80% of seafood consumed in the U.S. was imported. Other items whose costs might increase due to tariffs include coffee (the U.S. is the world's largest importer), fruits, nuts, and chocolate.

For what items are you watching prices? What items are you still purchasing despite price increases? We want to hear from you.  Readers can email thepoint@newsday.com or submit a letter here.

— Christine Wallen christine.wallen@newsday.com

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