Babylon Town Supervisor Rich Schaffer will be the guest speaker at LIMBA (Long Island Metro Business Action) on May 8. This event will start at 8:30 a.m. and take place at the Candlelight Diner, located at 56 Veterans Memorial Highway in Commack. Schaffer will speak on the accomplishments and future plans for the town.
Under Schaffer’s leadership, the town’s Quality of Life Task Force has cracked down on businesses, homes and landlords that do not follow the Town Code. Other critical functions of the Task Force include eradicating abandoned homes and illegal activities such as drug use and alcohol sales to minors, as well as identifying and keeping tabs on sex offenders.
When Schaffer was first elected, the Town of Babylon had the lowest bond rating on Long Island. Thanks to responsible leadership, Babylon recently earned its first AAA rating from Moody’s Investment Services, the highest rating offered. The foundation for the town’s turnaround was Schaffer’s efforts to create a commercial garbage district for the town. This initiative saved tens of millions of taxpayer dollars, eliminated corruption by garbage cartels, and created a revenue stream to invest into critical long-term projects. These include major overhauls in town parks and a focus in transit-oriented development (TOD).
Schaffer was elected to the Suffolk County Legislature in 1988, 1989 and 1991, before resigning to become Town of Babylon Supervisor the following year. Schaffer was sworn into office on his 29th birthday in 1992, the youngest to serve as the town’s executive in the twentieth century. His first term as Supervisor lasted through 2001.
When the position of town supervisor was made vacant in 2011 following then-Supervisor Steve Bellone’s victory as Suffolk County Executive, Schaffer was unanimously appointed to fill the role by the Town Board. He won re-election in 2012, 2013, 2017, 2021 and, most recently, 2025. Schaffer is the longest-serving town supervisor in Babylon’s history with his most recent stint.
Within months of returning to Town Hall, the South Shore was devastated by Superstorm Sandy. Assisting residents in rebuilding their homes and businesses was one of Schaffer’s earliest tasks, which he continues to do to this day. In doing so, Schaffer has created lasting partnerships with the Lindenhurst, Amityville and Babylon Village governments to better serve constituents in those areas.
Schaffer graduated from North Babylon High School in 1981, attended SUNY Albany, where he earned a B.A. in Political Science. He also attended Brooklyn Law School and passed the New York Bar Examination in 1992. In addition, he has served as chairman of the Suffolk County Democratic Committee since September 2000.
For more information about upcoming LIMBA programs, visit https://limba.net/.