(Editor's Note: The following letter is written in response to the article

"Village Court Rules Search Warrant Was Improper, Too Broad," which appeared in the May 27, 2004 issue of The Westbury Times.)

I am in full agreement with Westbury Village Trustee Peter Cavallaro's argument that Justice Thomas Liotti is too lenient with absentee landlords. We have a serious problem with absentee landlords who violate our building codes and create an increasing burden on our tax rolls.

We had an absentee landlord on our street that despite numerous building violations he continued to violate our building codes for 10 years. To my amazement, I discovered that he was not fined until his last violation and he decided to sell his house. It seems to me that if his violations were fined immediately, he would not feel that he could ignore them with impunity.

Apparently, Justice Liotti believes that it is a violation of these landlords' Fourth Amendment "rights against unlawful searches ..." What about our rights of "equal treatment before the law?" I feel that my "rights" are violated when these landlords are not prosecuted properly.

Justice Liotti's rulings are unreasonable and the people of Westbury must bring this to his attention or see to it that he is replaced in the next election.

Wilfred McBarnette

Sherwood Civic Association, Civic Action Committee