Political Briefs 09.28.17

A Fund-Raiser for Fleming

A cocktail party and fund-raiser for the re-election campaign of Suffolk County Legislator Bridget Fleming will be held next Thursday at Christy’s Art Center in Sag Harbor. Tickets are $175, $75 for those under 30. Those planning to attend have been asked to R.S.V.P. by sending an email to [email protected]. 

Ms. Fleming, a former member of the Southampton Town Board, was elected to the Legislature in 2015. She is running on the Democratic Party ticket and is also supported by the Independence, Working Families, and Women’s Equality Parties. Her district, the Second Legislative District, comprises the South Fork from Montauk to Moriches and Shelter Island. 

She serves on the Legislature’s environment, planning and agriculture, health, public safety, public works, transportation and energy, and ways and means committees. She is the chairwoman of the latter committee. 

Ms. Fleming, who lives in Noyac, will face a Republican candidate, Heather Collins, who ran for State Assembly in 2014 and 2016. Election Day is Nov. 7.

Bellone Pushes Action on Algae

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone has urged members of the county’s congressional delegation to help secure federal funding to implement projects designed to combat harmful algal blooms and improve water quality. The Senate has recently introduced legislation that would appropriate up to $100 million to eliminate toxic algae in communities across the nation.

Mr. Bellone sent a letter to the congressional delegation on Tuesday, one day after announcing the completion of the first comprehensive integrated strategy to guide the work of multiple levels of government, academia, and scientists to address increasingly frequent algal blooms that have plagued marine waters on Long Island, threatening the environment and economy. The Suffolk Harmful Algal Bloom Action Plan was developed by the county’s Department of Health Services’ Division of Environmental Quality in partnership with scientists and academics, drawing on the knowledge of experts nationwide. A copy of the plan can be found at reclaimourwater.info.

Last week, Senator Charles Schumer announced that he would work to ensure that Long Island received its fair share of federal funding that may become available through legislation that would provide up to $100 million to communities across the country to combat toxic algae. “We appreciate his leadership on this vital issue,” Mr. Bellone wrote, “and respectfully urge you to join him in helping to ensure that Suffolk County and its partners in these efforts are able to secure these important financial resources.”