LETTERS: Able-Ride Services, Rank in Yaphank, and more
Aiming to restore Able-Ride services
Last week, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority made a poor decision in cutting services provided by the Able-Ride Program while blaming such cuts on Nassau County .
Minority Leader Diane Yatauro even used Able-Ride to mount a political attack on my administration. But none of it has worked, because the people are tired of the blame game. The people who rely on Able-Ride need this issue resolved immediately.
Last year, when former County Executive Thomas Suozzi proposed $2.8 million in cuts to the Long Island Bus budget, I voted against these cuts and worked as a county legislator to restore approximately $1.4 million in funding to Long Island Bus. As a result, the allocation for Long Island Bus in the county budget is $9,067,380, of which $2,179,817 is committed to Able-Ride.
It's insulting for the MTA to blame Nassau County for its recent service cuts. County businesses bear the weight of the MTA's job-killing payroll tax, yet the cuts continue.
Earlier this year I submitted an application to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand and Rep. Gary Ackerman with a request of $1.9 million for the Able-Ride Program, which they submitted to Congress. Should federal funds become available, it is my hope to restore many of the MTA's service cuts to Able-Ride.
Editor's note: The writer is Nassau County executive.
Thanks to compost, it's rank in Yaphank
In response to "Report: Firm causes big stink" : The Long Island Compost site more than stinks. I work in Yaphank, and there are days when the odor comes through the air system into the building. You cannot go outside without choking on the stench.
The company should be made to comply with the regulations. After all, what are regulations for but to protect the public?
June Votava
Yaphank
In knots at hypocrisy of marriage vote
The New York State Senate voted not to allow me to marry my partner of 13 years because it would hurt the "sanctity of marriage," yet the senators voted to allow themselves and other heterosexuals easy divorces?
So divorce doesn't hurt marriage - marriage hurts marriage? Words can't describe the underlying hypocrisy of these two votes.
Patricia Ellis
Editor's note: The writer is greater New York political co-chair of the Human Rights Campaign.
Standing behind America and Islam
With the United States fighting two arduous wars in so-called Muslim countries, it would seem difficult for American Muslims to be proud of their country and to sing the praise of the Constitution, especially on July Fourth. However, if a Muslim truly reflects on America's history and heritage, one should conclude that loving this country is the easiest thing to do.
During the days when the United States population was primarily Caucasian and Christian, we fought other similar-looking countries during World War I and World War II. Earlier than that, we even fought ourselves in the Civil War. But as those were conflicts of ideology, it became imperative for America to fight, which is sadly the same situation now.
The new troublesome ideologies of influence by terror, persecution of women and minorities, and restriction of freedom of thought, are neither American nor Muslim.
I implore all my fellow American Muslims to wholeheartedly celebrate Independence Day, and continue to show our support for our troops and pray for the success of their mission and safe return.
Rizwan Alladin
Schmitt's criticism doesn't negate past
Peter Schmitt's latest tirade demonstrates his intemperance and inability to resolve the critical issues facing Nassau County .
His attack on finance experts sounded paranoid and probably was designed to make Schmitt's constituents forget that he voted himself a huge raise the minute Republicans took back majority control of the county legislature.
But we haven't forgotten his personal budget largesse, even though he was cowed into reversing his pay raise last fall.
Joanne Fanizza
Add to Albany's list: Good Samaritan bill
Newsday's to-do list for Albany lawmakers included critical items, but ignored pending legislation that could help prevent overdose fatalities .
The 911 Good Samaritan Bill, sponsored by Sen. Tom Duane (D-Manhattan) and Assemb. Richard Gottfried (D-Manhattan), provides limited immunity from prosecution for possession of small amounts of drugs or alcohol for those who are experiencing or witnessing an overdose and attempt to save a life by calling for help.
Overdose deaths - which have skyrocketed on Long Island - are largely preventable. But young people, afraid to call the police because they are impaired or have drugs or alcohol in their possession, often delay seeking help and try ineffective and dangerous methods to revive the overdose victim on their own.
Criminal penalties are an important part of anti-drug efforts, but they shouldn't trump the preservation of life.
Jeffrey L. Reynolds
Editor's note: The writer is executive director of the Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence.
State budget would harm LI's villages
"The budget busters" calls the governor's proposed property tax cap a "vital goal" for the state budget. For full-service villages like Rockville Centre, this superficially appealing proposal would be a disaster, leaving us forced to curtail basic services.
For three years, while making every effort to reduce expenses, we've had to increase our average homeowner's tax by $600. Under the governor's proposal, we could not have maintained the services that attract residents to our village in the first place.
Editor's note: The writer is mayor of the Village of Rockville Centre.
BP leak is latest in long line of disasters
As the BP oil spill stretches into its third month with oil still flowing, I continue to be horrified by the photos of pelicans and sea turtles covered in oil. But BP oil is not the only energy-related threat to wildlife and ecosystems.
We need to see the BP oil leak for what it is - not an isolated spill, but a particularly bad disaster in a long line of energy disasters.
We need an energy policy that reduces our dependence on oil, creates clean-energy jobs, and safeguards the ecosystems that are on the front line of our energy decisions.
Derek Brockbank
'I'm going to try to avoid it' A trip to the emergency room in a Long Island hospital now averages nearly 4 hours, data shows. NewsdayTV's Virginia Huie reports.
