Letters: Fixing blame on Nassau budget woes

County Executive Edward Mangano's attempt to unilaterally impose a contract upon local government employees, who have been portrayed as greedy and overpaid, is something that might make good material for a Hollywood drama ["Unions rally against cuts," News, Oct. 18]. Certainly, overburdened taxpayers cannot be expected to be sympathetic to county and other municipal workers.

Yet those same taxpayers should understand that both the current county executive and his predecessor actively sought the support of unions that represent county and municipal workers. It is also fair to point out that many of the workers whose jobs would be impacted and whose benefits would be cut are not the highly paid employees who appear in media horror stories. They are just ordinary people who are struggling to get by.

Certainly, given the state of the economy, compromises will be required, but I was once told that a person's word was their bond. If the county's executive is allowed to unilaterally impose a contract upon government workers, then the bond of trust that exists between Nassau County and its workers will not be worth the paper upon which the contract is written.

Charles R. Cronn Jr., Lawrence

Editor's note: The writer is a member of the Civil Service Employees Association Local 880, which represents Hempstead Town workers.
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Regarding "Nassau pols debate budget" [News, Oct. 7], I am amazed that Civil Service Employees Association president Jerry Laricchiuta still believes that any concessions the union needs to make to close the budget gap -- for example, health benefit contributions -- would cause "an extreme hardship for his members." What planet does he live on?

Look at the unemployment rate, look at all the empty stores, look at the budget gap we are facing. I would think that having a job is better than unemployment, and contributing to your own health-care benefit should be a requirement.

I worked in the private sector and always contributed to my health-care benefits. It is the CSEA and the school system that are killing this county with their demands and expectations for endless benefits.

Peter G. Kraeker, Hicksville