Handicapped tags are too plentiful

Regarding "Handicapped tags abused" [IMHO, May 2], as a paraplegic who must use a wheelchair to get around, I understand the writer's sentiment. I have written several letters to state government officials that parrot the writer's letter.

There are far too many handicapped placards issued in Nassau and Suffolk counties. I, too, am in the process of obtaining a New York City permit. The system requires verification that you truly need special parking due to a serious impairment.

The original purpose of the wider parking spaces was to accommodate those individuals who use a wheelchair or other device. If you are healthy enough to walk around a shopping mall or go to the beach and carry a cooler, then you should not qualify for a special parking permit.

Another problem is the use of the tags by other family members or friends. There needs to be an easy way for the police to determine if a permit is misused or counterfeit.

Robert Phillips, Patchogue