Politics & Government

Trotta Changes Mind on Retirement Day, Foregoes Vacation Pay

New Suffolk County legislator-elect decides to retire Dec. 28 as originally scheduled, give up $7,000 in vacation days.

A new Suffolk legislator-elect has had a change of heart and mind to keep his initial retirement date from the county's police department.

Fort Salonga resident Rob Trotta announced Monday that he will no longer be pushing back his retirement date from Dec. 28 to Jan. 2, 2014 in order to collect an additional $7,000 after accruing 15 vacation days at the start of the new year. 

To do so, Trotta said, would go against his campaign promises of running an efficient government. Trotta, a Republican, was elected in November to a two-year term representing the 13th district of Suffolk legislature starting Jan. 1, 2014. 

"I have decided that a decision to accept a payout for this time would run contrary to the campaign pledge I made to reform county government. Therefore, I will now retire on December 28th and will not accept this contractual benefit," Trotta said in a statement. 

Trotta, a police detective with more than 25 years in department, initially argued that by retiring before the scheduled Jan. 2 Suffolk Legislature meeting - where he will take the oath of office - he was complying with the laws codes preventing the county's elected officials from double dipping, Newsday reports.

The new county board of ethics did approve Trotta's request to push back his retirement date. 

As of Dec. 28, Trotta's standard retirement payout will total more than $200,000 in unused sick and vacation days. 

Read more on Newsday [subscription required] on Trotta's change of mind regarding his retirement from the county's police department. 



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