SPIN CYCLE: GUIDE TO POLITICS AND POLITICIANS

NO JOB, NO BENEFITS

Lindsay tiff with OTB turns moot

William Lindsay, presiding officer of the Suffolk legislature, was irate after finding out that Suffolk OTB failed to keep its promise to cut off medical benefits for board members. So he refiled a bill last week to end the perk.

But Lindsay got quicker action than expected: the lone OTB board member getting health insurance, Patrick O'Byrne, resigned Thursday.

Jeff Casale, OTB president, took the blame for the initial foul-up, saying he did not arrange in time for O'Byrne to begin paying for the benefits at the start of this year. Because of that error, the three-member board voted to allow O'Byrne to keep benefits until the end of March. Later, OTB officials found O'Byrne wasn't eligible for the COBRA rate to keep the insurance, because COBRA applies only to those who leave their jobs. The board extended O'Byrne's benefits again until May 31.

Last week, OTB officials found that the New York State Health Insurance Plan, which covers central office employees, limits what can be charged to 65 percent of premium. However, O'Byrne resigned in the meantime, without giving a reason. Hours after his departure, Democrats put forward the name of Edward Wynn of Amityville to replace him.

- Rick Brand on Long Island

ELECTIONS BOARD

Losers gain new posts

Two losing candidates in last year's local elections have landed jobs at the Nassau Elections Board.

Elizabeth Faughnan, a Republican Oyster Bay Town Board member who challenged the Nassau legislature's presiding officer, Diane Yatauro (D-Glen Cove), last fall, was hired last month as a $50,000 full-time administrative assistant in charge of the GOP board's efforts to comply with the Help America Vote Act. Also moving to the board was Democrat Kevin Gorman, who will earn $82,500 to head the Democrats' HAVA efforts. Gorman, who previously worked at Nassau's Off-Track Betting Corp., last year stepped in to face Hempstead Republican Supervisor Kate Murray when the party's first choice dropped out of the race.

- Celeste Hadrick on Long Island

THE PATERSON WATCH

In time for the summer tourism season, Gov. David A. Paterson unveiled a revamped "I Love NY" marketing campaign last week that relies heavily on the Internet and seeks vacationers both from around the corner and across the globe.

Half of the campaign's $17-million advertising budget will be spent with Web portals, and iloveny.com now has technology to produce customized brochures for travelers. Paterson said the goal was to increase the number of tourists from 155 million in 2006 to 200 million in 2020, and boost their spending from $47 billion to $60 billion.

Symbols such as grass, a butterfly and a squirrel have been added to the well-known "I Love NY" logo to tout the state's nature sites. Another version uses grapevines to tout wineries on Long Island's North Fork and in the Finger Lakes.

"Our logo is already easily one of the most recognized in the world," Paterson said. "By putting our logo in New York's surroundings we will tell a new story about what New York has to offer."

- James T. Madore in Albany

TODAY ON THE BLOG

While Suffolk Executive Steve Levy wants to sell the county's John J. Foley nursing home, his Health Department just received a consultant's study on how to make the facility "more efficient and cost-effective." The study from Horan, Martello and Morrone was launched a year ago but health officials refused to release the draft report, which was to make "short-term recommendations" for streamlining operations and a "long-term prognosis of the facility." William Lindsay, presiding officer of the legislature and a nursing home advocate, said he was "very surprised" to learn of the report and is perplexed over why Levy and health officials would sell without considering it. Lindsay has filed a resolution to have an outside manager take over the home to cut county losses that Levy projects at $15 million by Dec. 31. Legis. Edward Romaine was told by Health Commissioner Humayan Chaudhry last Monday the report won't be final for 30 to 45 days. The consultant also is preparing a report for Levy on the feasibility of a sale. Levy said he is open to change if new data arises but said he doubts it will.

- Rick Brand on Long Island

NAKED AMBITION

Which was the most fevered lunge for self-promotion by a power player? Vote at newsday.com/spincycle.

1. Gov. David A. Paterson saying he couldn't condone civil disobedience that halted traffic in protest of the Sean Bell shooting case.

2. Tracey Cline, after winning a primary to succeed disgraced Durham, N.C., DA Michael Nifong, saying: "This was not about the Duke lacrosse case. ... This was the healing after the lacrosse case."

3. Sen. Charles Schumer, asked if he'd encourage Hillary Rodham Clinton to stay in the presidential race, responding: "I'm not going to get into it."

Last week's unscientific results: Vito Fossella, 69.1 percent; Joe Andrew, 29.1 percent; Evan Bayh, 1.8 percent.

Related topic galleries: Evan Bayh, Homes, Long Term Care, Medical Services, North Fork, National Government, Public Employees

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