The long reach of Mayor Janet Galante is at work again. It would seem that all the people who dared to disagree with her have disappeared. I dare say there are no more familiar faces in our Village Hall. I thought the whole purpose of an incorporated village was to have informal interaction with the local governing body. Otherwise, why are we paying a third tax bill for services that would be provided by the Town of North Hempstead and county anyway?

The latest casualty is Trustee Marshall Bernstein. If you had to go before the board of trustees you could rely on certain trustees to set aside their personal feelings and animosities, while listening and voting on an issue before the board. Trustee Bernstein could be counted on to be fair and levelheaded in his decision-making process. No one had to kiss his ring to get approval or a chance to be heard.

I, for one, believe it's time the residents of Roslyn either pay attention and get involved in how our village is being run or register to vote and dissolve the incorporated village, saving all of us 20 percent of our tax bill. That's an average of $3,000 plus per household each and every year going forward.

Marshall Bernstein voted against board pay raises, against higher taxes, against increased spending and his reward was not to be nominated by the Clock Tower Party for re-election. Not only has Trustee Bernstein suffered a slap in the face, we will now suffer the loss of a fair and level head on our board of trustees.

If Mayor Galante gets her way in the year 2000, you can expect 200 percent pay increases for the board of trustees, four-year terms between elections, higher taxes, more spending and less services. She proposed it all in 1999 and the vote against her proposals were three-to-two. without Trustee Bernstein's vote in the year 2000, we will see the passage of these issues as they are presented again. Wake up, Roslyn.

Frederic Carlton