Tom Cilmi

Suffolk Legislative GOP Minority LeaderSuffolk County Legis. Tom Cilmi (R-Bay Shore) took over this year as Republican

Minority Leader in the county legislature just as the GOP picked up a seat, giving his caucus the newfound ability to block the Democratic majority to pass borrowing. That’s because a supermajority of 13 votes is needed to approve a resolution for bonding. But since Legis. Rudolph Sunderman (R-Mastic) picked up term-limited legislator Kate Browning’s seat in the November elections, the Republican minority gained traction in its mission to be the check on Democratic Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone and the agenda he has had little resistance to with his party controlling the county legislature. What’s more, Cilmi took the minority leadership from his predecessor, Legis. Kevin McCaffrey (R-Lindenhurst), following a backroom showdown with party leaders at the start of the new year. The new gig comes as Cilmi is reportedly being groomed to make a run for Bellone’s job or Islip Town Supervisor, with Cilmi’s new title giving him a higher profile and increasing his name recognition beyond his district. All of which comes on top of the fact that Cilmi was already reportedly the highest-producing legislator in Suffolk, proposing more bills than any of his county legislative colleagues in either county. So, he may be in the legislative minority, but it’s safe to say Tom’s got juice.