Half-a-Loaf – Letter to the Editor, East Hampton Star, February 23, 2015
To the Editor:
I am puzzled by the town board’s half a loaf is better than none approach to essential airport restrictions. Already there is an online offer of unlimited monthly air transport between New York City and East Hampton for $2,000.
The “curfew†of 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. is nice for birds, but humans will still lose daylight and evening peace all summer. Some helicopters, some time, some noise level? Some nonsense. Why is the board siding with the privileged few instead of the privileged many? Why do commercial interests have preference over residential ones? Why is our board responding tepidly to a huge environmental toxin in our midst? If there is a fire, we put it out — we don’t form a committee.
We have a major problem, and our elected officials need to deal with it forcefully. If they are so petrified of commercial operators suing our town for the right to wreck it, close our airport, rather than pander to a half-dozen companies greedily intent on ruining the quality of life and property values all over the East End.
Ban helicopters, seaplanes, and commercial operations. Anything less is damaging and unjust.
BARRY RAEBECK
Posted: February 23rd, 2015 under By Barry.