LETTERS: Raising alcohol tax, policing with planes
If hiking tax on vices, why not on alcohol?
In all the recent publicity given to increasing the tax on cigarettes as a means to both augment our tax coffers and discourage smoking, nowhere is there any mention of a corresponding tax on alcohol .
Not only would a greatly increased excise tax on liquor bring in an enormous amount of money to ease our budget crunch, but it would reduce alcohol consumption.
Discouraging the use of tobacco is a good thing, but its benefits are long term. Who will dispute that reducing alcohol use will result in an immediate gain for us all?
Michael J. Moonitz
Patrolling from sky is just plane smart
Congratulations to Sheriff Vincent DeMarco for using a plane to catch those on the LIE who believe rules do not pertain to them .
Having a patrol car on the side of the road only slows drivers down until they pass them, then its open season.
Arlene Greenblatt
Restoring a beach, and a love of Long Island
Recently, while driving over Robert Moses Causeway, I was reminded why I love living on Long Island.
My wife and I are regular beachgoers, in particular we like Robert Moses Field 5. After seeing many years of erosion I was surprised it was even open this year. Last year we were able to sit next to the dunes and still have our feet in the water.
Not so this year. I just want to say thanks to those involved in replenishing the beach to the way it was a few years ago. I was blown away by how much beach there was and, as always, how clean our beaches are.
With all that's going on in the Gulf of Mexico, we are fortunate to have such pristine beaches right here.
Matt Nobile
Hand-holding doesn't drill message home
How nice that the protesters of offshore drilling held hands on the beach .
Did they comment about the beautiful view that shouldn't be marred by wind mills? Did they drive home in cars to air-conditioned homes, grab a cold drink from their refrigerator, and watch TV?
If people want to ban drilling for oil, digging for coal, nuclear energy or wind energy, the only thing left for them to do will be to hold hands and wonder what happened to the lifestyle they worked hard to achieve.
Kathleen Culkin
'We have to do better' Newsday high school sports editor Gregg Sarra talks about a bench-clearing, parent-involved incident at a Half Hollow Hills West basketball game.
