Council member, Town of Shelter Island — Democratic: Robert V. Waife

Robert V. Waife

Democrat

BACKGROUND:

• Waife, 64, of Shelter Island, ran unsuccessfully for town board last year, losing a Democratic primary to the two board members elected in November.
• He works as a bayman and is founder of Eel Town Oysters, based on Shelter Island.
• Waife also owns and operates a mooring and marine tackle business on the island.

ISSUES:

• Waife said a top priority is to keep Shelter Island affordable. He said the town needs to take a more cautious approach to preserving land through the Community Preservation Fund, which the town uses to purchase property for open space and farmland protection. Money for the fund is generated by a 2% tax on most real estate transactions. “There's a limit to that in that you're starting to kill the golden goose,” he said.
• He said he's concerned about the potential for taxes to increase if the town board seeks to hire more professionals as opposed to volunteers the island typically has relied on.
• Waife said protecting access to water, particularly for commercial businesses, is another priority.