Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy is sticking with his pledge to not only remain a Republican but assist incumbent GOP lawmakers, despite the fact that his own political aspirations were dashed at the party’s state convention in Manhattan.

Levy joined with three Suffolk County senators – Ken LaValle, John Flanagan and Owen Johnson to call for restoration of the Empire Zone program, which Gov. David Paterson and Democratic legislative leaders agreed earlier this month to scrap in favor of the scaled-down Excelsior Jobs program.

Businesses and some local economic development officials aren’t thrilled with the Excelsior program, insisting it’s too small to be effective.

In a press release, the Suffolk County lawmakers noted Empire Zone incentives had been employed to successfully lure Canon’s North American headquarters – and its 2,000 jobs – to Melville.

“Of all the things Albany can do for us, it is vital in these economic times to allow our county to use and sharpen the economic development tools that have worked for us,” said Levy.

“In order for businesses to resist the incentive packages of other regions of the country, we have to provide assurance that our local and state governments are committed to keeping companies here.”

Levy and the senators also called for the Legislature to Power for Jobs into a multi-year incentive, as opposed to annual renewals, to provide companies with long-term assurance of benefits.

The point here really isn’t what the party-switching county executive is calling for, but rather that he’s continuing to stand with the Republicans even after their county leaders rejected his effort to run on their line for governor.

Levy, who has not yet formally ruled out running on a third party line and also hasn’t endorsed his erstwhile opponent, Rick Lazio, for governor, did issue one post-convention endorsement, backing fellow Long Islander Gary Berntsen’s challenge to Democratic Sen. Chuck Schumer.

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