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Shelter Island Reporter Letters to the Editor

REPORTER FILE PHOTO|
REPORTER FILE PHOTO|

Light in the darkest times
To the Editor:
In the light of some recent events, I have not had a chance yet to publicly thank a few friends who helped me and my family through one of the darkest times when I was detained in an immigration facility due to my green card removal.

When I needed it most, my family stayed here on the Island and was surrounded by the best people and community we could have asked for.

We’d like to express our sincerest gratitude to our attorneys Melinda Rubin, Stan Birnbaum and Patty Quigley for their invaluable advice and service; Father Peter from Our Lady of the Isle for his comfort and prayers; Marie Eiffel for raising funds to offset a tremendous financial burden of immigration politics and legal fees; all who participated in this fundraiser — Suzette Smith, Moussa Dramé, Sylvia Hommert, Linda and James Eklund, Sharna and Simon Grier, just to name a few and many others who selflessly donated prizes.

Thanks to our friend Richard Smith who was always there ready to help, to Lora Lomuscio, Debbie Schack, Sara Mulligan, Tramesa Overstreet and others for helping us with our then 2-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter. Thanks to our customers, neighbors and concerned people who kept offering help in all sorts of shapes and sizes; to all who wrote character letters about me to help me prove my case.

Thanks to Rebecca Martinez.

Thanks to the people who became true friends due to their willingness to testify and vouch for me in front of the judge — Don DeVries and Diane Rossi, Arthur Bloom, Jeannie Lawless, Dave Hamilton, Rob Strauss, Tommy Carr and Irv Schwab.

Most importantly I’d like to thank my wife, Lydia, for taking my world upon her shoulders and dealing with our kids, business and legalities while I was away.

I’d like to thank each and every one of you, who I didn’t mention but who stepped up and went out of your way. Some of you I don’t even know, but your help resulted in my relief from the claws of this system and being able to come back to the Island to my family and my business and for that I will be forever grateful.

A big thank you also to Ambrose, who was with me on the day of becoming an American citizen and wrote a heartfelt and moving story about that emotional day.

I couldn’t have done it without any of you.

I’d like to apologize to some people whom I didn’t mention by name. It all happened more than six years ago and my memories from those dark times are slowly slipping away.
PEPE MARTINEZ
Shelter Island

Lessons learned?
To the Editor:
Last year, the Board of Education submitted a budget that broke the state-mandated 2 percent tax levy cap. That necessitated the budget would need 60 percent “yeas” to pass. The budget did pass by two votes over the 60 percent.

It seems the lesson learned is that the board can again “break the cap” and expect to get 60 percent-plus votes to pass it again. However, I would point out that nothing substantial was cut from the budget, that indeed, a new position was added to the budget despite stable or declining enrollment even with adding pre-kindergarten classes, and that standardized test scores are not where parents and community want them to be despite the number of “opt-outs.”

We are also looking once again for a superintendent to lead us out of the morass of a district that does not do well despite spending more than $40,000 per pupil.

Finally, I would urge voters, since we have a choice, not to elect board members who find it difficult to show up for meetings, regardless of the reasons for such poor attendance. One can not guide the district if one does not show up for decisions.
BOB FREDERICKS
Shelter Island

Needs more work
To the Editor:
I have a second home on the Island and am against the two week short-term rental law. I believe it will adversely impact the Island’s commercial activities.

Short-term renters come to the Island to experience the beauty and tranquility just as much as long-term renters. Visitors are the ones who frequent our commercial centers like the IGA and our restaurants. Summer visitors historically have made the Island inhabitable for the rest of us year-round. Without these sources of income many homeowners will have to cutback on services that Islanders depend on. That means less ferry sales, less pool services, less handymen services, less lawn care, less cleaners and caretakers.

The law needs to be worked on more. If you want to incentivize the town to make more long-term affordable rentals for residents, then pass a tax break to benefit homeowners who choose to do that.

Or if New York Avenue residents are complaining about increased traffic, then place a speed bump on the road. But implementing a rule that affects who can visit and for how long is wrong.

What happens in the off season? After Labor Day, Islanders may still see an occasional renter, but if the rule is enforced then any fall/winter/spring renter is going to go elsewhere, too. Not to mention most people only get two weeks of vacation a year. That means these visitors will have to think hard and long about choosing to spend it all here or not. Or it will cause a secondary market somewhere of people splitting rentals.

As a homeowner, I spend a lot of time reviewing each person’s application to rent because it’s my home with my things and I don’t want them damaged. I heard many of the other residents argue the same point. We vet our renters to ensure they are coming for the right reasons and will be courteous to our homes and neighbors alike.

What happens if a secondary market pops up and we don’t know who is using the home any longer? Somehow the idea that one rental went wrong somewhere over the course of the many years of renters and will happen again just seems xenophobic and ridiculous. I beseech the Town Board members to consider these points or find yourself with an unwelcome battle for reelection.
TAL LITVIN
Brooklyn

Not too late
To the Editor:
With the passing of the unconstitutional short-term rental (STR) law, Shelter Island has made it clear that it does not welcome working families or people who cannot take more than a week’s vacation. This flagrantly discriminatory law also arguably strips the ability of owners to let friends/ colleagues/ cousins/ aunts/ family of neighbors stay at our houses while we are away rent free for fewer than two weeks, without going through the arduous and invasive licensing process. Even if licensed, the owner is limited to allowing friends/ non immediate family to stay only once every two weeks. I suppose that like East Hampton we will soon have enforcement officers knocking on our doors to inquire as to the relationship of the person answering the door to the owner.

The licensing requirement applies to any occupancy of fewer than 15 days by anyone other than the owner or immediate family “for which money or other consideration or compensation … directly or indirectly .. . is paid to the owner.” “Other consideration” can mean anything, including familial ties, business relationship or friendship.

The only board member to oppose this wrongheaded law was Supervisor Dougherty, who holds a law degree from Columbia University. The national wave of anti-intellectualism, anti- facts, bigotry, fear of the “other” and antipathy towards progress has come to the Island.

Frankly, I had hoped New York, especially the Island, was exempt. A few of the comments to the petition in favor of restricting rentals are illuminating:
• “the quality of the people vacationing on the island is deteriorating”
• “I am noticing a change in the people I see coming on the ferries as pedestrians, people in the village, etc.”
• “14 days weeds out the unwanted”
• “Airbnb…. Will change the complexion of this island.”

I have owned my house for 23 years. I, and my friends on the Island, welcome working families and individuals, newcomers and diversity. It is what makes this Island and country great. I strongly urge those who have not yet spoken out against this terrible law to speak out now! It is never too late.
SHELLY D’Arcambal
Shelter Island

Unconstitutional
To the Editor:
Thank you Jim Dougherty for recognizing that Shelter Island is not now, nor ever will be “the default destination” for short-term rentals (STRs), as Sag Harbor has no regulations. Consider our economically successful neighbor — vibrant downtown, low crime, exceptionally strong village budget. Why? STRs float their summer economy powerfully during the summer and allow the town to function for the remaining sleepy nine months of the year.

Our petition is on change.org, the gold standard of petitions and the world’s platform for social change in over 196 countries. Consider these statistics: Our petition is 717 voices strong, in full support of STRs and their place in history on the Island. These voices vote. Yes, we have the addresses of all signers. Our opposition’s petition, is privately run, on a private server, with no name behind it, and privately manipulated and clearly bigoted and discriminatory with its commentary. When I read signer phrases like: “two weeks will eliminate the unwanted,” I cringe. That’s a phrase I never thought I would ever hear on the Island, and it’s miserable to read the thoughts of some bigots who summer here, and see themselves as better than others.

In addition, the Shelter Island’s Association’s STR survey has invalid data. The survey completely omitted the Center residents and all non SIA members and the survey can be taken over and over and over — there is no end to the amount of times one can take the online survey, skewing the data exactly to the statistics that one would wish. That seems wrong and unethical.

This STR law is discriminatory and unconstitutional, and violates your property rights. Reject it and reject the board members who voted for it this November and always. Shelter Island, we are better than this!

And if you haven’t already, sign our petition at change.org, search: Support Shelter Island’s Short Term Rentals: Protect Your Property Rights.
KATHRYN O’HAGAN
Shelter Island