Supervisor

Biography

As Supervisor, Ed Romaine has been an active champion of environmental and fiscal issues – consistently seeking to improve quality of life for Brookhaven Town residents. Romaine has worked closely with his Deputy Supervisor, Councilman Dan Panico, and with dozens of other elected officials of all backgrounds to execute a forward-thinking vision for Brookhaven, increasing government transparency and modernizing the town’s physical and cyber infrastructures.

Environment

Ed Romaine has been heralded as a champion of the environment, receiving the support of the Sierra Club and other environmental organizations throughout his tenure as Town Supervisor. As one of his first acts after being sworn in as Supervisor, Romaine spearheaded the successful legislative effort to protect one of Brookhaven’s largest waterways, the Carmans River. Romaine currently sits on the board of the Central Pine Barrens Commission where he helps oversee and safeguard over 105,000 acres worth of land and ground water. He is an avid supporter of farmland and wetland preservation on Long Island’s East End and has worked tirelessly to reduce waste and entice the growth of green energy in Brookhaven Town.

Fiscal

Ed Romaine assumed office during a financial crisis. At the time of his inauguration the town had a lesser bond rating and a pipeline of serial bond debt that peaked with a total Principal due of approximately $600 million. Under his leadership the town has eliminated nearly $200 million of its pipeline debt. This was accomplished without breaching the tax cap on residents by consolidating government resources, and, bringing in new revenue streams through the incubation and enticement of new and established businesses. Additionally, the Town’s entire pension debt was paid off without borrowing funds. Since taking office the Town’s bond rating has increased to a AAA – the highest a locality can receive. 

Quality of Life

Improving quality of life for Brookhaven residents has been the driving motivation behind near-all of Supervisor Romaine’s policies. The capstone of these efforts is the Brookhaven’s “zombie home” removal program, which under his oversight has been responsible for tearing down over 350 abandoned houses, an act that has reduced crime and maintained or increased neighborhood property values. Additionally, Romaine has vigorously advocated for critical infrastructure funding from federal and state entities to improve structures such as the Sheep’s Pasture Bridge in Setauket and install new features such as sewers in Mastic-Shirley, and North Bellport.

Personal

Ed Romaine received a B.A. in History from Adelphi University and a M.A. in History from Long Island University. Prior to holding elected office, Ed was a math and social studies elementary school teacher. In his limited free time, he enjoys reading about history and science with a warm cup of coffee at his home in Center Moriches, where he now resides with his wife Diane.