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Democratic Committee
1997 Trustee Campaign
After reading last
weeks Republican diatribes in the Star I feel compelled to write back out
of sheer amazement at their inability to grasp even the simplest of economic
doctrine. In Ms. Mamay's letter she flat out states
that: (1) since 1990 she and her Republican
counterparts have conspired to increase virtually all fees it was able
to between 50% and 350%, (2) and notwithstanding the raises she voted for
herself and the other Republican Trustees last year, she tells us that
she's attempting to raise their
salaries yet again in January 1998 by nearly
another 20%. Then she tries to tell us that a 20% increase in salaries
will result in a $5050 dollar savings to the town. I'm not sure exactly
what math is being used here but this sounds suspiciously like "Voo-Doo"
Economics to me. In fact, all the Republican Trustees appear to espouse
this 1980's recipe for economic disaster as it pertains to salaries and
to the current state of the pump-out boat. They would rather spend
federal money on a pump out boat and hire civil service workers to man
it instead of allowing Mr. Darenberg to establish his fledgling business
which has been the largest single contribution to clean water in our harbors
since the electro-san. This "Doo-Doo" economic policy will ultimately harm
both the economic well being
of a Montauk businessman but also provide
less guarantee of clean water in our harbors. Additionally, it was
interesting to here that Mr. Bloecker did not vote "for" the increase in
commercial claming fees for our baymen
in Napeague Harbor. His vote of "abstain"
was a clear indicator that he will not stand up for what he believes in.
Rather than vote "no" on increasing fees and support our baymen he chose
to honor the old Republican code of cronyism and keep his mouth shut.
Well this town is no longer interested in leaders who will not lead.
It's time for a changing of the guard and come November change is what
will be the order of the day. Unlike the Republican promise of 1985
to reduce fees resulting in mammoth
increases in fees, our stand is a fundamental
building block of what we represent: lower fees, responsible fiscal
management and planning, clear support for our baymen and our hatchery,
and no more closed doors and closed minds. You would think that all
this craziness would take longer than a week to amass, but there's more.
Last week Mr. Bloecker attempted to introduce a proposal that "would ban
ferries from Trustee properties" (believe it or not, it failed).
Since the only harbors affected by the proposal were Georgica Pond, Fresh
Pond and 3 Mile Harbor, I'm wondering just when the Georgica Ferry was
going to start? This feeble attempt at patronizing an assumed ignorant
electorate is all but transparent. They
must think we're all fools.
Barry W. Leach
Democratic Candidate for
East Hampton Town Trustee