Too late for Broadway Arts small-biz owners Open letter to Rev. Kevin Brown, Gopal Panday, Dr. Carlos Rivera: Good for you, for speaking out (Sept. 7 issue). Unfortunately, we do believe you are way too late. This plan is a done deal, especially since Siperstein's recent and complete move from the area. On Aug. 23, 2005 (you were probably there), Terri Blair's Long Branch Concordance had Patience O'Connor, managing director of Broadway Arts LLC, (not an L. B. native) to talk about the "concept, program and scheduling of the project." She even had architectural renderings to present. If you remember, she was none too happy at the multitude of questions, objections and comments from those attending, to the point where she hurriedly left, on pretense of having another appointment. That Mayor Adam Schneider and the group have gifted away large chunks of Long Branch to outside conglomerates and the Katz, Siperstein and PAX insiders, there is no question. But as with MTOTSA, City Hall won't give up its "ideal" of being a true suburb of NYC (or should we say Wall Street). That those small business owners will lose their independence, their livelihood, their life savings means nothing to those now in power. These developers have been usurping the very foundation upon which this country was founded - those "inalienable rights" of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" - aka opportunity for all, not just the rich and powerful. Our local and national leaders, including the U.S. Supreme Court, chose to forget this basic tenet of our country - that all persons have the right to own and retain their property, to build their business and to prosper - just as these developers once did for themselves. To have to rent your once owned property is absurd. This idea is a battering ram against all small business owners here and everywhere. Shame on us for allowing this to get this far, shame on the mayor and council for not publicizing the preliminary meetings more thoroughly so the residents could have their say. Shame on us for not voicing our distaste of the treatment of longtime residents of the "Friendly City" where it counts - at the meetings and especially the polls. Kathleen and Robert Vignolini Long Branch