Letters: Readers react to coliseum vote

Apparently, the Nassau County residents have been heard ["Nassau Coliseum vote no!" News, Aug. 2]. By holding the referendum vote on Aug. 1, the plan backfired on Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano and Islanders owner Charles Wang. With August a popular month for vacations, many vacationers did not get a chance to go out and vote.

Margaret Hogarty, Mineola
 

Nassau County voters have spoken -- we no longer wish to continue to pay higher taxes for private, for-profit ventures.

Mangano stated shortly after the proposal was defeated that he would immediately request proposals for privately funded development that may or may not include a sports arena. This should have been the path taken all along.

Long Island already has enough suburban sprawl. The coliseum is surrounded by two colleges and the largest shopping mall on Long Island (Roosevelt Field). If Nassau voters have but one shot at having input on such a valuable piece of land that will truly change not only the surrounding communities, but the entire Long Island, let's be sure we get it right.

Monday's vote was the first step in doing so.

John Connors, Massapequa Park
 

I hope all you "no" voters are happy that the referendum was shot down. It's just amazing to me that $58 could make every Nassau County resident feel overwhelmed.

Don't forget next spring to vote "yes" on your school budget -- a tax increase, cap or no cap. I have yet to see any tax breaks for people who no longer have kids in school.

And don't forget to check for businesses that fold or leave Nassau County.

Andrew Taub, Freeport
 

Is anyone really that surprised that we voted no? We were told that it would cost an additional $58, but when was the last time government stayed within any kind of budget?

Furthermore, why are we getting involved at all? Charles Wang is a businessman and put together an economically viable proposal with the Lighthouse Project.

Hempstead Town Supervisor Kate Murray spent taxpayer dollars to come up with her own proposal. Ed Mangano did the same.

Now we will go back to the drawing board, and the whole cycle starts again. Murray, Mangano: Get out of the way, and let someone who understands business get the job done.

Susan Futterman, Merrick