LETTERS: Gillibrand, VAT tax and more

Locating food stores not a job for the feds

Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) has got to be kidding. She is worried not about the high rate of unemployment or the skyrocketing federal deficit. No, our senator is worried about "food deserts" in New York State .

Since when is it the federal government's job to get involved in where grocery stores are built? Will it be federal or state workers who will be required to staff these stores? When it is government money that builds these grocery stores, will the federal government determine what types of food will be sold there?

"We the people" had better start speaking up and voting out these representatives who are trying to control every aspect of our lives.

Diana Erbio

St. James

VAT tax not fair to the unemployed. . .

I grant that a consumption tax might be a simple way to raise money for the government , but in times of recession and unemployment a regressive tax is clearly inappropriate.

According to writer Jane CoCo Cowles, we should just tell the unemployed that everything besides food is going to cost more, so perhaps they shouldn't plan to buy new shoes for their children.

Joyce Tobkes

Jericho

. . . and won't rein in gov't spending, either

So a VAT is the answer to our tax and deficit prayers? The unfortunate answer is that it isn't.

While it will bring in more revenue to the federal government, it will also provide less incentive for Congress to stop its insane spending. More money, more spending. This is like giving gasoline and matches to an arsonist and then telling him to have a good time.

James Mulcare

Westbury

Go after Wall Street, not state workers

It's typical to demonize state workers to make everyone else feel good and, more importantly, to take the limelight off the immoral/illegal activities of the banksters and hedge fund managers .

The more accurate blame and coverage should go to the frauds being perpetrated daily that caused the economic meltdown in the first place. Finally someone fingered Goldman Sachs & Co. for its totally immoral duping of clientele outside its chosen loop.

Some state pensions seem rather high, granted, but the vast majority earned their pensions and followed the rules. The top hedge fund managers are somehow billionaires. Where is the outrage?

Joe Grifo

Holbrook