Reporter Editorials: The Island’s bravest
Shelter Island Firefighters responded to the fire that destroyed First Universalist Church in Southold Saturday night.
One example of physical courage is running into a burning building to save the lives of people you don’t know.
Thankfully, there were no injuries from the spectacular and tragic fire that reduced the First Universalist Church in Southold, an historic structure from the 19th century and a landmark for the town, to scorched boards and insulation, rubble and ashes.
But 10 volunteers from the Shelter Island Fire Department were ready to risk all when they answered a call for help from the Southold FD late Saturday night/early Sunday.
The Islanders stepped right into the front line to help save the church, but the blaze gained the upper hand and the church was lost. Southold Fire Department Chief Peggy Killian praised the Shelter Island contingent for their efforts and giving a breather to her department’s volunteers who were ready for a needed break.
We salute the competence, dedication and bravery of all members of the department, who are ever ready to help fellow Islanders in need, as well as our neighbors in other communities.
The cap doesn’t fit
When Governor Andrew Cuomo imposed a 2-percent tax cap on municipalities and school districts, he boasted it would save money by forcing more fiscal responsibility.
But he failed to look ahead and consider the reality that many cost increases result from expenses beyond the control of towns and school districts.
That already happened to the Town of Shelter Island, which has pierced its tax cap in recent years and it’s about to happen to the Shelter Island School District.
While School Superintendent Leonard Skuggevik and the Board of Education are holding to their promise not to pierce the cap for the 2015-16 school year, they may not be able to do the same when they’re budgeting for 2016-17.
One danger is being forced, because of a state-mandated cap, to dip into fund balances, or unallocated money that can be used in an emergency.
That can’t continue. When fund balances are eventually drained, it leaves towns or school districts without those emergency funds.
The governor’s move may have made him look good in the short term, but the reality is that more and more tax districts will be forced to pierce the tax cap, making it meaningless.
Shelter Island School administrators and Board of Education members have been vigilant about spending as little as possible while maintaining vital programs, but again, that can’t go on forever.
It’s time to send a strong message to Albany that the cap system won’t work long term. Local taxpayers can’t keep sending more to the state than they get back in aid.
