LOCAL NEWS & LETTERS

Stay informed and connected to local issues, decisions, and stories that directly shape life in Southampton

Letters to the Editor

Last week, I announced as a candidate for Southampton Village trustee in the June 19 village election [“Willa Bernstein Announces Run for Southampton Village Board; Zinnanti To Seek Reelection,” 27east.com, April 28].
As I make the rounds knocking on my neighbors’ doors, I’m focused on listening to what concerns and excites them about village life, and I’m hoping that I can bring my government and legal background into the mix to improve the quality of governance here.
I’m also continually struck by …[more]
Today, a New York Times Opinion piece by the editors screams: “America Needs To Build More Housing.” To prove this, after many graphs showing the cost of housing in various places, Austin, Texas is highlighted as proof that building thousands of units of housing in a brief period drives down the cost. “Less expensive” rather than “affordable” seems a more accurate description of the result.
Left entirely aside is the environmental impact. Austin has experienced repeat periods of drought in the last 20 years: 2010-15, 2021-23. Texas is forecast to have extraordinary issues with water in the coming decades. Austin currently uses the excellent device of recycling wastewater, which … [more]
As you read the following paragraphs, keep in mind that Republicans have chosen to appropriate $1 billion in taxpayer dollars to support Donald Trump’s vanity project: the proposed White House East Wing Ballroom. Note, too, that at the outset of this project, Mr. Trump assured that no tax dollars would be used for the ballroom, but that it would be funded by private donations (Carl Hulse, “Republicans Seek $1 Billion To Use for a Ballroom,” New York Times, May 6, 2026).
With the above noted, I would like to explain how Republican health care cutbacks will impact Suffolk County and Congressional District 1 residents. … [more]
Watching Bill Maher last night, with an Iranian war discussion with U.S. Representatives Dan Crenshaw and John Fetterman pushing Donald Trump’s agenda, not one of the four people on my screen — not one of them — even hinted that if Trump never got elected either the first time or second time, we would not be in this war, because President Barack Obama and his associates, including nuclear experts, and their months of intense, smart, intelligent negotiations had finalized a treaty that put a giant watchdog over Iran’s dream of a nuclear weapon and restrictions on missile proliferation. And the Strait of Hormuz would be open. …[more]
Over the weekend, Representative Nick LaLota provided his statement regarding the attempted attack on the White House Correspondence Dinner, in which he decried political violence. In his usual tone-deaf approach, he notes a “pattern” of attacks and assassinations, brought about by hyperbolic rhetoric, and warns us that words have power and meaning.
This is rich coming from such a rank-and-file Republican. Mr. LaLota, you’d benefit in more than one way by finding a mirror. … [more]
If you are worried about our country and the direction things are going, you are not alone. Economists, political advisors and military generals have raised alarms, and we are all struggling with the reckless policies pushed through by Donald Trump’s administration.
The upcoming midterm election is one of the most important in decades. It may be the only way to stop Trump’s failed MAGA agenda. … [more']
Our congressman, Nick LaLota, evidently likes to communicate with constituents at a distance. Recently, he has taken up writing to your Letters page, although he’s been unwilling to meet the public in person for a town hall since taking office. It’s not hard to figure out why: A majority of voters are deeply unhappy with the state of our country and our economy under the control of Mr. LaLota’s party. He would rightly get an earful from his constituents.
For this taxpayer, it was particularly aggravating to read Mr. LaLota’s letter bragging about fighting “tooth and nail” for SALT tax relief against “every New York Democrat” [“Targeted Relief,” Letters, April 9]. He painted a distorted picture of who created the problem and who has tried to fix it…. [more]
On Long Island, the cost of living is already high, and rising energy bills are making it harder for residents to keep up.
As the former director of the Town of Brookhaven’s Office of Energy and Sustainability, I worked to expand solar access through the Green Homes — Go Solar Program. In doing so, I saw firsthand how the right incentives can help residents lower their electric bills while strengthening our local economy.
That’s why I support two important solar initiatives under consideration in New York State. … [more]
While watching the thrilling launch of Artemis II to orbit the moon, I thought back to my diving trip to Grand Turk, the splashdown site for John Glenn’s 1962 Friendship 7 mission in the Mercury Program. The Splashdown Grand Turk exhibit had a replica capsule that was so tiny compared to what we have achieved today. It is hard not to be awed by the accomplishments made since then.
Despite all the chaos and hatred in this world, the NASA team has worked for years to achieve a singular goal, and this week they prevailed in their scientific mission. … [more']
Neighbors in Support of Immigrants is planning our fifth annual bicycle distribution. This highly successful project not only fills a need for transportation to summer jobs but also reuses bikes that might otherwise rust away.
If you have a used bicycle in good condition, please consider donating it. On April 11 or 12, we will make a trip from Hampton Bays to the East Hampton area, stopping along the way to pick up bikes in good condition. We can pick up bikes closer to Hampton Bays at other times. Please email supportimmigrants@gmail.com or text 914-260-0499 if you would like to donate a bike … [more]
Two very large spec houses' trees on my street were severely damaged this week. North Haven Village quickly reached out to the LLC owner after I phoned, but a tremendous amount of damage had already been done.
At the request of the owner, workers had limbed the trees up so that between 60 and 75% of the lower limbs had been removed. These are tall trees, mature, and used by wildlife for food and for protection. They are also on a scenic easement property … [more]
I had planned to write a seething letter of contempt for Congressman Nick LaLota, joking about whether anyone has recently conducted a wellness check to see if he was still alive, or whether someone in the Trump administration has been operating him like a marionette for the past few months. Though, to our misfortune, both are in fact true.
But, sure enough, Tom Neely beat me to the punch [“Asking Questions,” Letters, March 12]. And for good reason.
I’d like to remind everyone who is subject to the same onslaught of news coming out of this administration that the dismal state of this country, and indeed much of the world, is … [more]
Congressman Nick Lalota — come out, come out, wherever you are!
I know you are hiding somewhere, because I still get emails from you telling me what a great guy you are and how you are saving me bundles of cash with your tireless work on my behalf. But you still won’t agree to have a town hall meeting with your constituents. Heck, you won’t even respond to questions I have asked you in recent editions of this paper … [more]
I am writing in response to the article "Bridgehampton Horse Farm Plan Would Raise 70,000sf of Structures on Preserved Land" [27east.com, March 2].
The applicant, Gabi Morris, and her attorney, Wayne Bruyn, have argued that because the easement entered into when the town spent $1.8 million in taxpayer dollars to purchase the development rights mentions equestrian rights, they should be allowed to engage in all types of equine use, since “agriculture” is defined broadly by New York. But they ignore that this easement is very specific and prohibits all commercial use with one limited exception: the raising of crops, livestock and livestock products. … [more]
In his rebuttal to my Letter to the Editor regarding the threat posed by a warming climate [“In a Pickle,” Letters, February 26], Ed Surgan asserts, “The cost-benefit analysis after decades of regulatory interference with our economy vs. any discernible climate improvement didn’t make sense.”
Mr. Surgan’s reference isn't specific, so I'm unclear about which costs and benefits apply to whom, and over what range. With my background in health care, I could better address cost-benefit questions tied to hospital reimbursement schemes — perhaps that's a discussion for another time.
For those interested, though, I have read several articles on the topic. … [more]
I read with great concern the articles in the media of the ICE raids across the country and the alleged violation of our civil rights. We should all be greatly concerned. However, our anger and frustration is, in my opinion, somewhat misdirected.
Congress and both Republican and Democratic administrations have over many decades failed to reconcile our immigration laws with how we live our lives. We make great use of our immigrant neighbors when we need them — think: snow removal, most recently — while not insisting that Congress face reality and revise our laws to reflect how this country has historically depended upon hardworking immigrants as a dynamic source of energy and economic growth.
ICE is simply, albeit crudely and ineptly, trying to enforce laws that Congress has failed to modify to keep up with the country’s needs. Congressional inaction is at the root of this problem. Congress needs to legalize a citizenship pathway for those who have lived here productively for years, provide more resources to … [more]

Local News

GET INVOLVED - TAKE ACTION