First of all, I would like to thank Mr. Wines for keeping his word, even if it was done with too much theater. Mr. Wines has said that, once deep-seated visceral reactions are unleashed, it is difficult to present the facts. Mr. Wines, you still have not presented the facts. What are these tax credits – income tax? If so, those who need money the most – people on fixed incomes, who pay little or no income tax – get nothing. I still have yet to see what you are really talking about.
I think it is wonderful that we have people like you who want to help, but take your blinders off. The Save Main Road group has become too militant with their anonymous attacks. It is disgraceful and divisive. Many times we heard if the Save Main Road people are for it, we are against it. Please tone down the rhetoric. We are all neighbors.
When we talk about property rights, it is a sensitive issue. You never asked any owners their opinions outside your small group. One of your biggest problems was lack of proper notification. Our board in Southold did the right thing and sent by certified mail a notice of what was happening so we could judge for ourselves. You keep trying to dismiss us as being misinformed radicals, but nothing could be further from the truth. You have tried to dismiss our arguments as invalid instead of listening to them. It is not just the federal and state governments we mistrust; it is you and the Monuments Commissions.
Mr. Wines, you say that we misinform the public about the corridor’s regulations. I have said from the first it is not this Trojan horse that is the problem but rather what will come after. As proof of this, I believe it was Mr. Grathwohl of the Southold Monuments Commission that advanced the argument to the Southold owners that we did not want a pirate themed house or a pink house in our neighborhoods, and no one on your panel objected or moved to correct him. So we see what is in your hearts, and we see your intentions. It is too bad no media was there to cover it, but we have plenty of witnesses including members of the Southold Town Board.
In addition to the above issues, the process for approval by the owners was fatally flawed. How is it American when talking about property rights issues that people who own multiple properties and large tracks of land get one vote but people who own one property get the same vote? How is it American that 51 percent of the people must vote “no” by way of notarized letter but not responding is a “yes” vote? You were counting on apathy and a skewed number of voters to win. That stinks, and the owners did not like it.
We could go at this forever. Please let this stop. You have put neighbor against neighbor for a few ill-defined tax credits. The proposed district would protect nothing; the zoning is the protection, as well as the owners who have protected their land for generations in some cases. Please do not bring this up again.
Gian Mangieri
Laurel
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