Letters: Concerned about LI Bus takeover

It amazes me that so few can do so much to so many ["Bus deal draws ire," News, Nov. 12]. Nassau County has been brokering a deal with Veolia Transportation for many months to take over the Metropolitan Transportation Authority's Nassau County bus routes. How does the public tolerate that just three days after the election, the proposed contract can miraculously be finalized?

County Executive Edward Mangano obviously thinks the public is stupid. Well, maybe he's right. After all, the public reinstated the Republican majority on the county legislature, which is obviously his rubber stamp. With this contract, Veolia can cut service and raise fares in some situations with little or no input from the public. Sounds like a pretty good deal for Veolia to me.

Our county legislature is acting like Congress. The legislature should wake up and do something for the people. Act as though it also represents the people, and not just big business.

Lionel T. Bauman, Baldwin
 

I am writing to voice my concerns regarding Long Island Bus being privatized and run by Veolia.

I have lived in Nassau County for 40 years. I would really like to know how much tax money per household actually went to the bus. We could have afforded to have the Metropolitan Transportation Authority run this system.

County Executive Edward Mangano has purposely delayed making public details of the negotiations with the MTA. Now, time is running out, and there will be little time to review the contract, and we won't be able to do anything about it and will be forced to accept it.We all know that fares will increase and/or routes will be eliminated. The politicians just don't want to tell us that. I bet they are not taking the bus to work. Is this the best we can do? The people getting hurt by this are going to be the disabled, elderly, students and the poor -- no surprise! Not to mention all the bus employees.

Long Island Bus is too vital for the 100,000 daily riders who depend on the system.

Kim Daly, Levittown