Gargiulo: Tax Cuts, Lower Spending, Job Creation Key Issues

A native, Tom Gargiulo entered the race for Town Council this year - after running once before in 2005 – because he believes he could affect positive change by eliminating wasteful spending, lowering taxes and creating private-sector jobs.

“I feel I can make a difference in our town. I love Babylon, and want to make it a better and safer place to live,” said Gargiulo, a Babylon resident who holds two masters degrees, one in administration.

But with Babylon’s unemployment rate remaining the highest among Suffolk County townships, according to the latest report by the New York State Department of Labor – which put the September unemployment figures for the town at eight percent, a small uptick over 7.9 percent in August and September 2010 – that might be tall order.

However, to address the unemployment situation in the town, one of things he feels that could be done is “expediting business permits to decrease the time that businesses wait to open.”

That would bring more jobs to the town, and “bring more tax revenue to the town and cut our tax base,” said Gargiulo.

“I’d also like to connect local businesses with high school students, as well as with the young adults, in our community to give our youth work skills,” said Gargiulo, who taught special education at the high school level for 29 years at Eastern Suffolk BOCES.

“I will begin a work-study program, as I do now with BOCES,” he promised.

Gargiulo would also like to make sure that all town commissioner and assistant commissioner positions are filled by Babylon residents.

“I’m sure that many are qualified for many of the present jobs. This is our town, and the jobs should stay in Babylon,” he said.

With regard to what he feels, and said he’s hearing from residents, is an increasing tax bill, he’d aim to implement zero-based budgeting.

Gargiulo explained: “We should start our budget form zero, and have each department re-build and justify expenses. This will enable us to re-examine the budget, and see what expenses we can decrease. This is known as zero-based budgeting.”

As an example he cites a plan implemented by East Hampton Supervisor Bill Wilkerson.

“He actually cut their taxes by 17 percent the first year by using zero-based budgeting,” said Gargiulo, the current vice chairman of the Babylon Conservative Party and member of the executive board for the Suffolk County Executive Party.

To help achieve that goal he feels that town departments need to be “re-evaluated” in order to further reduce spending.

“Another possibility might be to auction some of the town vehicles that are not being utilized,” Gargiulo said.

He also feels he could improve the quality of life in Babylon Town for all residents, many of whom, he said, are worried about the level of safety in the town.

“We need more police and public safety visibility. This could be accomplished by having a better working relationship with the First Precinct and the Cope Unit, [and] by establishing community watch programs, investigating cameras for high-crime areas and educating the community about local gangs on Long Island,” Gargiulo said.

Another issue about which he feels strongly is accountability of government. He feels currently that there isn’t any.

“Walking from house to house, I hear the same complaint. Citizens have informed me that when they call town hall, they have not gotten a return call from town hall,” said Gargiulo, a former varsity and college basketball coach who’s coached for the past 37 years, and a director for the Hofstra Basketball camp for the last 12 years.

To remedy that he’s vowed to “follow-up with all calls and requests.”

In an effort to make town hall government more accessible, Gargiulo aims to change some of the times the town council meets so more residents could attend.

“I’d encourage that some of the meeting be held at night, and I’d like to have some meetings on Saturday, if that was okay with the staff unions,” he said.

Gargiulo is running for one of two seats on the Babylon Town Council this year. The other three candidates are fellow challenger , current Councilwoman and current Town Planning Board Member . Councilwoman has chosen not to seek re-election this year. Polls are open Tuesday, November 8, 2011 from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m.