In what appears to be an overwhelming taxpayer revolt, Sea Cliff residents are flocking to the doors of the Sea Cliff Taxpayers' Association to demonstrate their opposition to the financing of the ferry litigation by Sea Cliff's officials. Sea Cliff Taxpayers Association, (SCTA), President Joseph E. Reilly, Jr. said in response to a community wide mailing, "Frankly, I am shocked at the incredible response we have received from residents of this community. The sentiment opposed to the lawsuit Sea Cliff has brought against Glen Cove is running greater than 95 percent. While I expected a majority to be against the use of taxpayer money to finance this litigation, I never imagined the opposition to be nearly universal," Reilly said. "If Mayor Moyne and her trustees are not getting the message, this community is in very serious trouble indeed."

Reilly added, "This litigation is insane. The only thing that makes sense to the SCTA is that Sea Cliff's leader, Mayor Moyne, sit down with Glen Cove's leader, Mayor Suozzi, in a face to face meeting and work out a resolution of the issues between these two communities. The litigation must be stopped immediately and the issues settled by the main players."

In the meantime, Mayor Thomas Suozzi let it be known he has sent a letter of invitation to Mayor Claudia Moyne to sit down and negotiate. Mayor Suozzi said, "Eventually we will have to work out logistics for Sea Cliff to hook up to Glen Cove's sewage treatment plant as well as reaching a myriad of other agreements between the two communities. The worst case scenario would be for this ferry litigation to disrupt the good relations we have enjoyed for as long as anyone can remember. It appears that a majority of residents of both Glen Cove and Sea Cliff are vehemently opposed to wasting tax dollars on litigation when the same money can be spent on other municipal needs such as road repairs. Only the mayor of Sea Cliff can stop the bleeding of taxpayer money in this litigation."

Many of the responses in Mr. Reilly's office contain a consistent theme of fear. The letters are signed by Sea Cliff Village employees and by residents who do not want their names revealed because they fear retribution from village officials. Mr. Reilly said this fear would be addressed by the SCTA. The SCTA's next step is to send letters to all who supported the SCTA and to continue the campaign in asking Mayor Moyne and the village board to cease their financial support of this bottomless pit.

The ferry litigation will be heard by Justice Ute Lally on Wednesday, March 22, State Supreme Court in Mineola.