Residents have been battling with the Taubman Company over their proposed mall on the former Cerro Wire site in Syosset for over six years. When this mall was originally proposed, the main issues at hand were mainly environmental and quality of life issues. The residents' original complaints and reasons that this mall should not be built, in the opinion of the Syosset-Jericho Tribune, had merit and credibility. When the main issues were traffic, groundwater, soil, noise, air pollution, economics, the nearby elementary school and other issues that directly affect the residents, this mall was clearly inappropriate.

Although our opinion did not change and we still believe that this mall will have a negative impact on the community, we believe that the focus of the debate has unfortunately shifted.

This should not be about who has the best lawyers, the best public relations firm and what their respective backgrounds are. The focus of this debate should be centered on the best interests of the residents since they are the ones that will be directly impacted by the construction and the traffic and everything else this mall promises to bring. The lawyers and PR people will move onto their next case and their next client when this battle is over.

Perhaps we, as a community, need to take a step back and remember what is really at stake here. It is not about who is representing who, but rather if this proposed mall should be built and how local residents will be impacted.

-D.J.D.