Every once in awhile, an issue arises in the community that has the potential to severely impact the quality of life for the residents. This is the case with the Cerro Wire property.

After listening to testimony at the recent Cerro Wire hearings, we feel that this mall will have a negative impact on the community.

A comment was overheard by Taubman's lawyers: "Keep him [the expert witness that was testifying for the Michigan-based Taubman Company] talking as long as possible. Drag this out." This comment was said at approximately 9:30 p.m., when Howard Avrutine, the attorney representing those against the mall, still had not started his case and the public had not had the opportunity to comment.

Witnessing this attempted filibuster and hearing this comment made us realize that Taubman's entourage does not care about the well-being of this community - They want this mall built at any expense.

Taubman's people attempted to show how great and wonderful this mall would be to the community. Experts can crunch numbers as much as they like - that does not necessarily reflect real life.

Traffic experts stood up and said that there would be a minimal increase to the amount of Traffic on Robbins Lane as potential mall customers would travel on the major highways. It is easy to say that when you live out-of-state and do not know the roadways like the residents do. Living here and driving these streets daily provides more information than any research can.

There were people in the crowd chanting and yelling in support of the mall. Most of these people do not even live in the Town of Oyster Bay area. They just want work. Do the workers really care about what is built?

It was said that the Syosset School District would be greatly compensated if this mall were built. The School Board realizes that the monetary benefits do not even outweigh the dangers that the children will face. There are elementary schools nearby where those young children would be at risk from the increased traffic and pollution.

Many organizations, including the Syosset Chamber of Commerce and Residents for a More Beautiful Syosset, to name a few, work very hard to revitalize downtown Syosset. A great deal of time and effort has been dedicated the last few years to make Syosset a more beautiful and safe place to live. This mall will completely destroy all of those efforts.

It is a proven fact that malls encroach on the business of local mom and pop shops. The great sense of community and beauty of Syosset would be lost by building this mall.

We are in full agreement with Brian Muellers' statement: "The money created downtown, stays downtown and does not go to someone half a continent away."

This community does not need another mall. This mall is proposed as an "upscale" shopping center. There are plenty of "upscale" places to shop now. Also, for most residents, the Internet is very accessible and shopping at the stores that are not located on Long Island yet can be done via the computer. There is no reason to endanger the local children and residents with an enormous mall. This mall does not fit into the nature and sense of community that exists in Syosset.