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Commentary | |
Open, as Promised or, Shut?
by Tim Sullivan
I would like to offer some heart felt advice to East HamptonTown supervisor, Bill Wilkinson:
Mr. Supervisor,
if you plan any government action that might jeopardize the livelihood of folks living in our town, you had better hold public hearings.
Wilkinson is formulating plans to sell the town-owned commercial docks used by our commercial fishermen.
Bruce Hoeke, chair of the towns commercial fishing advisory committee, fears commercial fishermen could not afford private docks and the town's commercial fishing industry would vanish.
Montauk is the heart and soul of New York State's commercial fishing industry and a town with families and businesses making their lives from the sea and the fishing industry. I cannot believe any East Hampton supervisor would act in a way to destroy this historic industry without a public hearing.
Wilkinson says he won (the election) by 70% per cent of the vote and says he will not hold hearings on the proposed sale of the town's docks. The reason he gives is that selling town properties was a primary pledge of his campaign.
Wilkinson's plan is to sell off town properties to reduce the town deficit and cut taxes.
What is the cost benefit analysis? -- what percentage and what amount of reduction in taxes will result from just selling of the commercial docks?
Does the town truly benefit from that reduction in taxes if it destroys the commercial fishing industry in East Hampton?
Once the fishing industry in Montauk is gone, it will never come back.
If I remember correctly, Wilkinson pledged open government and he is frequently quoted as saying that his door is always open.
Not holding a public hearing on the issue of the commercial docks is not open government.
As for landslide victories, Lyndon Johnson was elected president by a landslide and by the end of his term, he was so unpopular, he retired.
Of course, he ran against Barry Goldwater.
Wilkinson ran against McGintee who by that time was recognized as the worst supervisor in the history of East Hampton.
Obama became president by a handsome margin of victory and now his poll numbers are tanking.
Votes against McGintee or, votes for Wilkinson do not guarantee that all of Wilkinson's proposed policies will be acceptable to the residents.
Yes, folks who elected Wilkinson know his platform but what they remember most of all is the pledge of open government and his statements about wanting to hear from the people.
I hope that Wilkinson, who was the host of my East Hampton Republican LTV show remembers that pledge as clearly as the public.
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