Recently, the voters of East Quogue rejected the idea of incorporating their community into a village. A few years ago, we, in Hampton Bays, looked at the same idea for our community but did not get as far as our neighbors to the west did.
Perhaps your readers are familiar with a movie called “A Christmas Story.” This is about a boy named Ralphie in the pre-World War II Midwest. He wanted a BB gun for Christmas. Every time he answered “BB gun” when asked what he wanted for Christmas, the person asking would reply, “You’ll shoot your eye out!” Everyone, including his teacher, his mom — even Santa Claus!
The same goes for a village. If you tell people you are in a group looking at villagehood, the response is immediate and reflexive, requiring no extra thought: “Taxes will go up.” There is no counter to that argument. Without a compelling reason to break off and be independent, people just will not go for it.
Some of us in Hampton Bays know. We tried it, too.
The moral of the story is to get your answers ready before talking incorporation. Santa will not help you — and you’re likely to shoot your eye out.
Bruce C. Doscher
Hampton Bays
Mr. Doscher is the former president of the Hampton Bays Village Exploration Committee — Ed.
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