I would like to take this opportunity to endorse Kimberly Allan for trustee in Southampton Village. I believe she brings years of dedicated experience to Southampton Village as a resident and a former trustee.
I know that a current trustee is claiming that she reduced taxes, which in theory is a great thing, but my taxes went down by approx $24 — and, yes, that is down but equal to two sandwiches and a bag of chips at the local deli.
The downtown was not revitalized by genius, it was by COVID. Many New York businesses tried to move out here with the throngs of people who moved here, to keep their businesses afloat. It was with incredibly hard work and reinvention that many of us survived those difficult times — I credit my staff for bringing me through and not village leadership.
I do feel that the ongoing situation with our police, dispatchers and village employees is dire, and I do believe that Kimberly Allan could repair the damage done by this current administration. These people are the people who protect us, keep us safe, make our village beautiful, and I feel they have been treated with great disrespect and almost vilified.
There is a growing rift in our village, and we must remember why people came here in the first place. They came to get away from the crazy fast pace of life in the city, to enjoy our beautiful beaches, shops and downtown area; they came to bask in the familiarity and closeness that a small town offers. They came to enjoy what we had. Somehow, more recently, it has become a case of “them” and “us,” and this is what I find most heartbreaking.
I believe that Kimberly Allan has the skills to unite us and them. This is one of the most beautiful places in the country to live, and I think with positive guidance, in the right hands, Southampton will prosper.
Most importantly, go to vote for the person whom you can trust and who will give you information in real time, someone who is fiscally responsible. I believe that person to be Kimberly Allan. I think she will use her voice and her knowledge to best represent yours!
Erin Meaney
Topiare
Southampton Village