Letters to the Editor: Waski’s attempted apology

Riverhead

Waski’s attempted apology

There is an expectation in a small community like Riverhead that elected officials will treat townspeople with integrity and respect. Humanity is due to all residents, regardless of their social or economic status. This basic expectation of common decency is not written in any town code or policy, nor should that be necessary. But that lack of formal guidance does not relieve elected officials of a moral obligation to the people they are supposed to serve.

Elected officials have a duty to treat the vulnerable people who are routinely considered to be the lowest in society with respect. One should not need to be a poster child for kindness and compassion to be the recipient of common courtesy. Councilwoman Joann Waski has succeeded in being dismissive and disrespectful to townspeople at both ends of this spectrum. She has repeatedly shown an open dislike for the vulnerable immigrants who live in our town, as well as repeatedly attacked, disrespected and attempted to insult Kevin Shea. Hard-working immigrants and a man who is the epitome a good neighbor are all fodder for her prejudice and political games.

The people should not need to wait until Nov. 2, 2027, to be free of Ms. Waski’s contempt for Riverhead residents. She can simply do something that will be exceedingly difficult: investigate her own heart to examine the beliefs that lie there and motivate her to speak as she does. Then she should provide Mr. Shea with an earnest, unqualified apology. Councilman Rothwell and every Town Board member owe a similar apology for sitting in silence as he has been forced to defend his character — something he has done with a grace and compassion that has been both beautiful and painful to witness.

Colin Tooker

Mattituck

Remedial reading?

Responding to the Rev. Reichert’s letter (“A long, wrong list?” Oct. 1), I don’t know what bible you are reading. In my Bible, Jesus Christ encourages us to help those less fortunate than us. Trump is eliminating or reducing programs that provide help to lower-income families and to world aid. More people are dying now because of our departure from USAID. All these program cuts are offsetting tax cuts to billionaires in the Big Beautiful Bill.

People who work for large companies have health insurance through their employer that provides lower group rates. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was designed to help people who do not have company group insurance to be under the ACA group for lower health insurance costs. All government programs are periodically reviewed and improvement changes made. Instead of improving ACA by negotiating with insurance companies for better coverage like the big corporations do, Trump wants to eliminate it because it was started by Obama. This leaves everyone on ACA with no affordable insurance.

Democrats are not antisemitic. There are antisemitic Individuals from all party affiliates. Look who supports Trump’s Republican party: Proud Boys, QANON, Oath Keepers, white supremacists.

Democrats are not communist. Trump is certainly acting like one. Communist dictators name buildings/monuments after themselves. So does Trump. Communist leaders control the media. Trump also wants to. Out of all the world leaders, Trump idealizes Putin and Xi the most. A true democracy names buildings/monuments to honor heroes of the past, and has freedom of the press.

I am a Christian and my faith supports a true democracy. Love thy neighbor as thyself.

Richard Rutkowski

Southold

Money we don’t need to spend

I wasn’t thrilled to read that Southold wants to collect nearly $1.3 million more in property taxes next year.

I understand that the town government isn’t immune from rising costs. But that makes it even more important to recognize when someone finds a way to take costs off local taxpayers’ shoulders.

This puts the more than $1 million Congressman Nick LaLota secured for the Southold Town Police Department into greater perspective. The federal funding will pay for 10 new police vehicles and 20 upgraded radios, equipment the department needs without sending the bill back to Southold taxpayers.

That isn’t an abstract federal program or a promise of money somewhere down the road. It is more than $1 million in public safety costs Southold taxpayers won’t have to shoulder.

Put that next to the nearly $1.3 million increase in property taxes the town is proposing for next year, and you begin to see just how much bringing our federal tax dollars back home matters.

Had Southold taxpayers also been asked to shoulder the full cost of that police equipment, we could be talking about more than $2.3 million in additional local costs between the two.

Washington takes plenty from Long Island taxpayers. I’m glad Congressman LaLota is making sure some of it comes back.

Jason Taggart

Greenport

A tax we actually need

The Village of Greenport is at a critical crossroads. We pride ourselves on welcoming visitors, but the unchecked rise of online vacation platforms has fundamentally altered our local housing market. To protect our year-round community and manage the unique pressures of seasonal tourism, the Village Board has taken decisive action by overhauling short-term rental (STR) laws and petitioning the state Legislature for the authority to establish a local hotel, motel and occupancy tax.

Currently, an unfair financial structure places the burden of tourism entirely on local taxpayers. Under state law, Suffolk County levies a 5.5% lodging tax on visitors staying in Greenport’s hotels and STRs. Yet, none of that money returns to our village. Greenport must fund the code enforcement officers, administrative tracking software and trash management required to regulate these rentals, while local taxpayers foot the bill.

Greenport is fighting to implement an independent 4% to 5% local lodging tax and pushing for authorization of state Assembly Bill A10146. Securing this new revenue stream is vital for its general budget and would allow the village to provide essential services, maintain infrastructure, and fund dedicated code enforcement without relying solely on property taxes. Ultimately, this new revenue stream will significantly decrease the financial burden on our residents’ annual tax bills.

Combined with our new code — which limits STRs strictly to owner-occupied primary residences — this strategy stops off-island corporate investors from converting local homes into unstaffed hotels. It allows local families to earn supplemental income while protecting our year-round rental stock.

We need village residents to contact Sen. Anthony Palumbo and Assemblyman Tommy John Schiavoni in Albany and urge them to sponsor and pass this vital legislation. It’s time to secure local control, diversify our revenue, safeguard our historic charm and shift the financial burden of tourism off taxpayers’ backs.

Mary Bess Phillips
Greenport Village trustee