Don't consolidate water districts

I am writing in response to Laura Mallay's misleading op-ed titled "LI's layers of government cost us" [Opinion, May 11]. Foremost, Sen. Jack Martins (R-Mineola) and Assemb. Michelle Schimel (D-Great Neck) have offered commonsense legislation in Albany that would clarify the law that exists to allow residents to consolidate local governments. It does not weaken it.

Instead of examining the merits of this legislation, Mallay makes the flawed argument that consolidation isn't happening because people aren't listening. Despite her best attempts, opinion isn't fact.

Residents understand that water district tax rates are less than 2 percent of the average tax bill in Nassau County, the lowest of all portions of the property tax bill. Most important, Long Island has one of the lowest water rates in the nation.

There's one thing Mallay and I agree on: Public opinion polls show that Long Islanders are in favor of local control.

Karl Schweitzer, Hicksville

Editor's note: The writer is the chairman of the Long Island Water Conference.