FRIENDS OF STEVE LEVY

PRESS RELEASE

Date: January 3, 2010 For Further Information

For Immediate Release Contact: Michael Dawidziak
Telephone # (631) 567-7771

Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy

Creates Exploratory Committee for Statewide Office

Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy, the highest-ranking elected official of the

largest suburban county in the state of New York, will announce on Sunday that he is

creating an exploratory committee to consider running for governor in 2010. He is

considered a formidable potential contender not only because of the 4 million dollars he

has on hand in campaign funds but also for his knowledge of state government, having

served in the New York State Assembly, and having distinguished himself as an

outstanding fiscal manager of a county larger than eleven states. (Suffolk County has a

population of 1.5 million, a budget of $2.6 Billion and a workforce of over 10,000.)

Michael Dawidziak, a political consultant from Long Island, said, “Levy may

indeed be the right man at the right time in the state of New York. The one basic issue

for the upcoming campaign is who will be the best fiscal manager for a state going off the

financial cliff. The state is facing economic collapse and needs a fiscal watchdog with a

proven management record. Steve Levy fits that bill to a T.”

 Levy’s fiscal prowess on Long Island is legendary. He inherited a $238 million

budget shortfall in 2004, the largest shortfall in the history of the county and by the end

of the year turned it into a surplus and the beginning of six straight years without a

general fund tax increase, an accomplishment few, if any, other elected officials in the

state of New York can tout.

Said Levy, “I relish the challenge and opportunity of taking a government on

fiscal life support and, through needed fiscal discipline, bringing it back to health. I

would be one guy who would turn the state upside down and inside out. I would run the

state like our families balance their checkbooks, understanding that there must be a

bottom line.”

Levy noted that as county executive he cut overall spending in three years out of

his six-year tenure and reduced general fund taxes while enhancing services and bringing

the county’s bond rating to its highest level in Suffolk’s history, despite being in the most

difficult financial times since the Great Depression.

“We took on the special interests, eliminated perks, negotiated union givebacks

and shrunk the size of government. New York is in a state of governmental paralysis and

needs a proven leader who is not afraid to take on the powers that be and change the

status quo. Many candidates talk a good game about taking on special interests, but few

have actually done it as we have in Suffolk County. I would run seeking a mandate from
the people to restructure state government from top to bottom by bringing our budget

under control and ushering in a new era of government reform.”

IMPORTANT FACTS ABOUT COUNTY EXECUTIVE STEVE LEVY

About to commence his seventh year as Suffolk County’s seventh County Executive

Consistently polled over 70% popularity throughout his first term, leading to his 2007 re-
election with a record 96% of the vote, after earning endorsements from the Democrat,
Republican, Independence and Conservative parties.

Levy was first elected County Executive in 2003 despite having only one line on the
ballot (Democratic) as opposed to his opponent’s four lines after defeating a highly
financed challenger in Democratic primary by a 2 to 1 margin.

Served three years as New York State Assemblyman, 2001-2003.

Served fifteen years as Suffolk County Legislator, including holding positions of Deputy
Presiding Officer and Chair of Ways and Means Committee.

Consistently won re-election to his district, which had a 2 to 1 republican enrollment

advantage, with the highest plurality in the county – at times winning 80% of the vote in
a contested election.

JUST A SAMPLE OF STEVE LEVY’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS:

Six consecutive years of general fund tax cuts or tax freezes.

Converted an inherited record $238 million budget shortfall into a balanced budget.

Reduced overall spending in three of his six operational budgets.

Revitalized county’s open space preservation program by preserving six and a half times
the size of Central Park and 67 farms.

Received environmental awards from the New York League of Conservation Voters
(land preservation), Sierra Club (reducing carbon emissions) and the Nassau/Suffolk
Neighborhood Network (alternative energies).

Granted the Woodson Award from HUD as one of the top four elected officials
nationwide in promoting affordable housing for our next generation.
Lowered overall Part I and Part II crimes by 20%.

Eliminated perks, including the executive’s police chauffeurs, gave back $60,000 of his
pay, passed new ethics rules, and eliminated politics in the redistricting process through
the creation of an independent district drawing committee.

Promoted economic development by revitalizing downtown communities, attracting

thousands of new jobs through economic incentives (including relocating Canon’s North
American headquarters and its two thousand jobs to Suffolk) and promoting his new
Green Economics policy that promotes both environmental preservation while
simultaneously identifying pre-developed sites as hot spots for re-development.