Levy: Newsday's hiring halls report inaccurate


http://www.news12.com/LI/topstories/article?id=196467

Play the video (06/27/07) HAUPPAUGE - Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy blasted a Newsday report Wednesday, claiming it implied he changed his stance on hiring halls for undocumented day laborers.

Levy claims the article suggests he softened his position against hiring sites to ensure state passage of a county sales tax bill. Assembly members have halted the tax bill's progress to force Levy toward compromise on illegal immigration.

"I am opposed to hiring halls," he said. "I was opposed to them last week, today and tomorrow."
Legally speaking, Levy said he can prevent the establishment of hiring sites on county property. However, he said he has no legal authority to stop the state or a town from creating one on its own land. Levy said the article leads readers to believe he wouldn't stop a town or the state from doing so even if he could.

"This is a reporter's attempt to 'make news' rather than report it," he said in a statement. "The reporter crafted his words to make it appear that I had changed my position or announced something new regarding my position on hiring halls."

Newsday declined to comment for this story.


GO STEVE!!! DON'T BACK DOWN!!!