Coates: Why the ‘old guard’ hates me

They’re worried. Yesterday, Councilman Jim Wooten sounded retreat [see Wooten’s Aug. 28 blog on Coates’ candidacy] and the Old Guard Republicans started circling the wagons because they are worried. They are worried it might be closing time for their clubhouse and that the gravy train might be running dry.

I came to the race for town council vowing the shake up town hall and it seems there is a whole lot of shaking going on. Harry Truman said, “I never gave ’em Hell, I told the truth and they thought it was Hell” and that’s what’s happening here in Riverhead. I have dared speak the truth about public officials that care more about their pensions than the public good. I have dared speak out about the constant cost overruns that are a result of a Town Board mismanagement. I have dared speak out about Council that is rarely at their desks. I have dared speak out about [IDA] tax breaks that are given out to the Republican party friends and family network but not to you. I’ve called for term limits and for reforms to keep politics out of town hall. I have called for full disclosure and I’ve offered a positive plan to get this town moving forward.

You see folks, it’s all about jobs. Oh, not your job, it’s about theirs and their ability to live off the system. Councilman Wooten is not happy that I was honest with the public when I spoke out about the six jobs he holds in addition to the municipal pension he receives and his salary as a Councilman. Councilwoman Giglio was not happy when it was uncovered that she has not paid her proper real estate taxes for 14 years, because she failed to get permits for improvements to her home, though she owns a permit expediting business that represents developers. Councilwoman Giglio was not happy when it came to light that she received every tax break under the sun and $2.4 million in taxpayer money for her subsidized housing project downtown. Those are the facts and I didn’t report them, this website did. The Council didn’t like that I put a video on YouTube showing that they are rarely in their offices. The Recreation Department Head was not happy when I made an issue of the fact that he presided over huge cost overruns at the Calverton ball fields and still got an $8,000 raise. Councilman Wooten calls that, “Negative” I call it telling the truth.

I was the Town Board’s pal when I ran their campaigns for 10 years. I was the Town Board’s pal when they unanimously appointed me to the BID board, but now that I have spoken out about their attitude of entitlement and how they milk the system, I am a bad man and they have called me names. Oh well.

Truth brings reform and reform worries the Old Guard because they fear change. The tired clubhouse knows I am a reform candidate that means what he says, that I won’t take “no” for an answer and they are worried I will win; They wouldn’t be attacking me if my message were not getting through. When I go door-to-door, I talk to people who are tired of a town where it’s “who you know”. People have wised up to an “in” crowd at Town Hall has had it their way for about 50 years a crowd who’s legacy is that Riverhead is the highest taxed, poorest and most indebted town on the East End. I know this town can do better.

I have been and I will continue to be your watchdog. I have no interest in being part of their club. They can threaten me, call me names, yell, scream, stomp their feet and hold their breath but I don’t care because I have vowed to run a different type of campaign and I am. I’m not in it for the salary, as they are. I’m not in it for the title, as they are. Unlike them, I am about public service, not self-service and I am running to represent you. They’ve read the polls and they are worried that their soft shoe act may not work this time around.

Anthony Coates is a Republican candidate for Riverhead Town Board in the Sept. 10 Republican primary election. 

Editor’s Note: Riverhead Assessor Mason Haas called to complain about the statement, “I have dared speak out about tax breaks that are given out to the Republican party friends and family network but not to you.” Haas criticized RiverheadLOCAL for not asking Coates to substantiate this claim. When subsequently questioned, Coates said he was referring to IDA tax benefits, which he says are granted to people and firms who are Republican party and Republican candidate campaign contributors. He cited Paul Elliott of 1998 Peconic as an example.

The original statement could imply the town assessors were giving tax breaks to friends and family members. 

The opinions of bloggers do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of the publishers of RiverheadLOCAL.com. By publishing the opinions of others, we are not representing that we have vetted the statements they make as factually accurate. That said, I should have questioned the author about the original statement. – Denise Civiletti