Shelter Island Reporter Letters to the Editor: Feb. 16, 2026

DISAPPOINTED

To the Editor:

You have asked me to comment on President Trump’s social media post depicting former President and First Lady Obama as apes. Here you go…

It makes me sad. I am the son of parents who were dedicated to civic service and civil rights. My mother left me and my sisters home in the care of others and took a bus to Washington, D.C. in August 1963, to march with MLK for a united future for this nation — my mother was a true hero and the most patriotic person I have ever known. We all need to be more like her.

So, yes, my heart breaks every time the current administration delivers division painted as patriotism. This is a false zero-sum game. In fact, we can only “win” if we work together toward openness and equity. 

The need to promote “otherness” to make ourselves feel better is simply cruel.

BENJAMIN DYETT, Councilman, Town of Shelter Island

FIRST AMENDMENT

To the Editor:

In last week’s Reporter, in a column, Ambrose Clancy criticized the indictment of two journalists for trespassing into a house of worship during Sunday services. Don Lemon and Georgia Fort entered with a mob of threatening protesters disrupting services, frightening parishioners, including young people. I witnessed on television Lemon foisting a microphone in the face of a minister asking questions about his opinions on ICE.

Had this interruption occurred here on Shelter Island at Our Lady of the Isle at 9:30 Mass, attended by children, parents and worshipers. I wonder what the reaction would be.

There is no legal right or privilege for Lemon or the other trespassers’ conduct.

The Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrance (FACE) 18 USC§ 248, prohibits the  obstruction and interference in religious worship.

Lemon and the other intruder holding themselves out to have a journalistic privilege, do not have a privilege under the law. Wilson v. Layne, 526 U.S..603, held that journalists have no right of trespass on private property. A church is private property.

Perhaps the all-consuming dislike, dare I say hatred for our president and his efforts to enforce the law deporting criminal illegal aliens, as had President Obama and President Clinton before him, colored the thinking of otherwise law-abiding people.

KATHRYN CUNNINGHAM, Shelter Island

EDITOR’S NOTE: The two journalists maintain they were not protesting but reporting, which is evident from video of the event. If a mob stormed Our Lady of the Isle, one would hope professional journalists would report on it.

VIABLE SOLUTIONS

To the Editor:

Clearly, Lynne Weikart (Letters, Feb. 5) is a concerned citizen and her focus on the town budget is important.

Her Six-Point Plan contains a lot of common sense … but a drill-down raises questions.

When I proposed budgets, part of the assignment required low, medium and high estimates of the items, not to mention their likelihood of implementation.

On her point 2, upcoming labor contracts are worth discussing. Appointing a new committee to conduct the negotiation may not result in a meaningful difference because the negotiation is with established unions. Only a headcount reduction when personnel retire would result in noticeable savings.

Point 3. If the town went 100% solar, a worthy goal, and eliminated its electric bill (minus the initial cost of the panels and installation, usually a 6-7 year payback) what percent of the budget would be reduced? The electric bill is around $100K, less than 1% of the $13M Town budget. What would an average homeowner’s tax bill be reduced by? 

Point 4 mentions using eminent domain, which triggers boatloads of litigation. Some key cases have landed in the Supreme Court (Kelo vs. New London) after decades of lower court rulings. It’s doubtful that Island property owners would agree to the Town’s attempted seizure of their property. Significant litigation expenses may be an unintended consequence. Success is doubtful.  

Point 6, the “Taylor Swift tax,” was signed into law by the Rhode Island state legislature. With the significant number of powerful second home owners on our island, I think it’s safe to say taxing them by a town law, not state ruling, would be immediately challenged; imagine the legal fees our small town would incur.

Keep the dialogue flowing, searching for a sustainable budget is a crucial, worthwhile goal, but it requires considering options that have a real impact or chance of being enacted. 

JONATHAN RUSSO, Shelter Island

PROGRESS AND SAFEGUARDS

To the Editor:

I commend Ms. Weikart for raising thoughtful ideas about the Town’s fiscal sustainability. Budget discussions are important and necessary for public transparency.

Her reference to Shelter Island’s “dual economy” suggests that staffing might be reduced to a winter baseline and expanded seasonally to accommodate the larger summer population. While seasonal shifts are real, many municipal responsibilities are not seasonal. 

Public safety, emergency response, senior services, building inspections, and road maintenance continue year round and must meet civil service standards and operational benchmarks. Town staffing levels, particularly in law enforcement, are evaluated against objective standards and service obligations, not seasonal perception.

Her support for solar investment is well taken. It is worth noting that the Town’s Green Options Committee is preparing a detailed report and recommendations to the Town Board regarding solar implementation. That work is already underway.

The issue of vacant commercial property along Route 114 also merits careful review. Zoning tools, planning incentives, and targeted policy adjustments may be more practical first steps. Revitalization should be guided by planning strategy and economic analysis.

Proposals such as a residency based property tax differential, sometimes referenced in other states, would require clear statutory authorization under New York law. Town governments do not have independent authority to impose differing real property tax rates based solely on residency status. 

Finally, concern about drawing down reserves should be placed in context. The 2026 Town budget was adopted with a projected use of fund balance to stabilize the tax rate, a budgeting practice commonly used by municipalities when reserves have been maintained at responsible levels. Fund balances are reviewed annually by independent auditors and are subject to state guidelines and financial oversight. Debate about long term sustainability is appropriate, but it should acknowledge the role of these safeguards before concluding that the current approach is unsound.

ARTHUR R. WILLIAMS, Shelter Island