In the past, oceanfront residents under the Southampton Town Board were hesitant to create any sort of erosion control district. In most cases, they felt "it was being forced on them." (Probably because it was.) Today, however, with hurricanes (?!) and stuff tearing their dunes apart, there's a lot more incentive. And for this reason, a motion to "set up a tax district ... from the eastern boundary of Southampton Village to the western boundary of Sagaponack Village" has received much more support.
Cool! What will it do! First, it'll create a neat little forum for affected citizens to decide just how much more they'd like to be taxed. Then, it'll let them "vote on how the money is to be spent." And last, it'll help the hamlets grab attention from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which might provide funding in certain circumstances. Despite these perks, the motion still has to brave a host of debating and voting—and the very residents it will affect. According to the EH Star, ritzy property owners "are still talking among themselves."
· Change on Erosion Control [EH Star]
· Stepping foot on Wainscott Beach [Flickr]