The Suffolk County Legislature has again voted to repeal its public campaign finance program. Two-thirds of lawmakers overturned a veto by County Executive Steve Bellone last week.
The Republican-led legislature repealed the program last month, before its first payout for candidates running in 2023. The GOP would rather use the program’s $2.6 million on public safety, like hiring more 911 dispatch operators and Shotspotter gun-fire detection technology.
Bellone vetoed their repeal last week saying it would be a step backwards, making it harder for low-income women and people of color to compete against big donors. Republicans argued that legislators who receive large special interest donations could recuse themselves from votes when there’s a conflict of interest.
The Long Island Progressive Coalition called it a “dark day for democracy”.
