Letters

I resigned from the Southampton Town Planning Board last month. That was not an easy decision, as I truly enjoyed working with the planning staff and the wonderful people who serve on that board.

That said, I’m a community advocate at heart, and it became clear that my opinions and attempts to reform would be problematic for the Planning Board and Southampton Town.

So now I get to speak my mind, which may get some nods, or roll some eyes.

Many of us are rightfully focused on the upcoming presidential election. There’s a lot on the line, and emotions are running hot. As important as the presidential election is, we should not forget about our local races. After all, the outcomes of local races typically have a significant impact on our lives.

New York State still uses the antiquated and mostly rejected fusion voting system, allowing candidates to run on multiple lines. Voters typically stay on their preferred line and vote for candidates based on party affiliation. Bad idea. Party heads and candidates are counting on you doing just that.

Here’s the thing: Many candidates accumulate lines based on political quid pro quo. Notice that you’ll see a candidate listed on the Democrat line and then again on the Conservative line. Democrats may think that they’re voting for someone who shares their ideology. Conservatives may think the same. Sadly, it’s nothing more than a tactic used to confuse voters and accumulate votes. It has nothing to do with a belief set.

Need some evidence? The chairman of the Suffolk County Democratic Party runs as a Democrat and — wait for it — a Conservative.

Locally, a Southampton Town councilman has run for a couple of offices on the following lines: Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Working Families, Independence and Conservative.

This is common and can be validated by visiting the Suffolk County Board of Elections results page.

So, party loyalty is a one-way street. I know because I was there. I was a member of the Southampton Democratic Committee but left after the weight of hypocrisy got too heavy. One day you’re writing to out-of-state voters, urging them to vote blue and reject conservative candidates, and the next you’re asked to promote local candidates who have accepted the Conservative line.

This is the game that’s played, so don’t be fooled. Vet your candidates without bias.

Look at a candidate like Steve Kiely, who’s running for State Assembly in District 1. His platform focuses on protecting home rule, pushing back on New York State attempts to circumvent local zoning, protecting homeowners’ rights, addressing affordable housing through ownership, adaptive reuse, pragmatic and responsible legislation.

That’s not party politics, that’s local focus, and it’s what we need.

Craig Catalanotto

Speonk