Why do we as Long Islanders choose to live here? Most would agree that the quality of life and rural atmosphere of the area is the main reason. It takes foresight and vision to preserve this quality, something which, until recently, has been sadly lacking in the Town of Brookhaven. Now with the threat of impending build-out within the next decade, the town has one last opportunity to take action to preserve the characteristics of Long Island living that we cherish.

The Community Preservation Fund would provide the financial wherewithal for the town to rescue the remaining undeveloped land from over-development. Unfortunately, due to a misinformation campaign by developers, the first opportunity to institute this valuable program was squandered. Fueled by greed, the developers resorted to the emotion-laden ³new taxes² appeal to the public and portrayed the CPF program as an unwanted tax burden on the community. They asserted that despite a successful history with the same program on the east end of Long Island, there was some reason to believe that the program would place a financial burden upon those wishing to sell their homes. The surcharge has never been leveled against sellers of housing, but is instead, a one-time fee for new homeowners to enjoy the effects of past preservation by contributing their fair share to preservation yet to be accomplished. The reality is that over-development costs us much more because of the added stress it places on our already overburdened infrastructure. The addition of thousands of new residential homes not only destroys the capability of the area to support the clean water and diverse wildlife for which the area has long been known, but also adds to the tax burden for increase cost of schools, roads and emergency services.

The CPF should be re-introduced, but in the meantime, a stopgap measure must be instituted to prevent irreversible consumption of currently pristine land by the developer juggernaut. The proposed Open Space and Clean Water Environmental Bond Act of 2004 will provide funding to preserve land that will otherwise be lost forever. We should not falter in our efforts to prevent the loss of the very characteristics that drew most of us to move to the area in the first place.

The Bond Act is supported by civic organizations, environmentalists, elected officials and the citizens of Brookhaven who wish to preserve what remains of our rural character. The only entity that opposes this preservation is comprised of the developers and the construction industry. It would be unconscionable to deny future generations the pleasures of Long Island for the fleeting financial advantage of a single segment of the population, many of which have little stake in the quality of life that they endeavor to destroy.