The Community Preservation Fund began 25 years ago with a diverse group of government, civic, banking, farming, business, and environmental leaders coming together to preserve the region’s rural character, sense of community, and quality of life. Touted as “our last hope to save what we all love about the East End,” it has been wildly successful.
Signed into New York State law by then-Governor George Pataki and Assemblyman Fred W. Thiele Jr. in a Hayground farm field in Southampton Town in 1998, the Fund, financed by a 2% real estate transfer tax, has raised $2 billion in revenue for the five East End towns, with Southampton leading the way.
This historic and progressive legislation has given Southampton a powerful tool to achieve its longstanding goals of protecting farmland, open space, and groundwater. To date, more than 4,000 acres of land with historic, recreational, agricultural, and environmental value has been preserved.
Please join the Town of Southampton’s Community Preservation Department as we celebrate this auspicious 25th anniversary milestone and honor its legislative mastermind, Fred W. Thiele Jr., at Good Ground Park in Hampton Bays on Saturday, May 11, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
