LETTERS: Lifting severance cap and expensive move, and more
Lifting severance cap an expensive move
Republican County Executive Edward Mangano blatantly blames the Suozzi administration for costly police contracts . Yet in a two-wrongs-don't-make-a-right move, he lifted the Suozzi-negotiated severance cap that would have saved the county millions.
Mangano absurdly spins his move as an incentive for top police officials to retire early, saving the county the future salaries for 125 officers. He's really just kicking the can down the road.
With so many residents out of work, handing gifts totaling an extra $250,000 to three retiring cops who were to receive over a half a million dollars each anyway seems a bit excessive.
Bruce M. Resch
Elementary excess: $50,000 for iPads
Teachers are being laid off and school taxes have risen to the point that we can no longer afford to stay on Long Island. Now I read that one districtis spending thousands of dollars on iPads for students in elementary school .
Who is watching over spending in our schools? This is one more last straw.
Colleen Bartell
Please compare LI test results to rest of NY
The article "Diversity cited as scores dip on state SATs" does not specify how Long Island students compare with regard to SAT scoring; only how New York State students as a whole compare to others in the nation.
Since the major component of Long Island's sky-high property taxes go to public school funding, I am curious how Long Island's 124 school districts compare to others in the state and the nation. I realize the SAT has detractors, but it is the most common yardstick used to measure academic aptitude.
I would hope Long Island taxpayers are getting their money's worth from the well-paid school superintendents and teachers. It's time for a meritorious system, where better districts and teachers are rewarded, and we stop rewarding those who don't deliver the goods.
David Rogers
PTSD not limited
to first responders
"PTSD still high after 9/11" News, Sept. 14] only refers to the first responders. What about the thousands of people who escaped those buildings that day or those who were still on their way in to work?
They went to the many funerals and memorial services for co-workers. Does it occur to anyone that they could have post-traumatic stress disorder? A lot more people - who will probably never be treated - have it.
Lisa Smith
Sarra Sounds Off, Ep. 15: LI's top basketball players On the latest episode of "Sarra Sounds Off," Newsday's Gregg Sarra and Matt Lindsay take a look top boys and girls basketball players on Long Island.
