“Half the harm that is done in this world is due to people who want to feel important.”
- T.S. Eliot
I disagree with the premise of Nancy Rauch Douzinas’ article last week that touted the findings of the Rauch Foundation’s ‘Trust for
The article had an air of paternalistic superiority (usually reserved for central planners and other ‘intelligentsia’) combined with misleading statistics and progressive rhetoric.
Lumping together the economic benefits of existing fee-driven parks with the increase in property taxes derived from higher valued homes near open space is bad math, questionable logic and a disaster for Long Island .
Further, it is well known that the foundation advocates the contradictory positions of more affordable housing while at the same time calling for more open space preservation with the transfer of development rights. This will eventually lead to large swaths of vacant land and even larger ghettos of high density housing in downtown areas.
Long Island’s future should be determined by those who advocate the protection of private property rights and the preservation of Long Island ’s suburban character. It should not be dictated by central planners who advocate a command and control economy that will further degrade our quality of life.
Therefore, I am challenging Ms. Rauch, Vision Long Island and other progressives to a debate on what Long Island 's future should look like.
I hope they accept.
