Bromund wrong about Angela Merkel

In his column “Uncrowned queen of Europe” [Opinion, Nov. 4], Ted R. Bromund points to German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s fall from power as a direct consequence of her policy of bringing 1.1 million Middle Eastern immigrants into the German economy “without apparent thought of the consequences,” leading “German voters to believe she cared more for Syrians than Germans.”

If Bromund had bothered to do research, he would have been familiar with an economic study that showed in German states with a high proportion of foreign labor had lower unemployment and higher capital investment. German unemployment stands at 3.4 percent. Instead of regurgitating the mendacities of German populists, Bromund should have examined the economic consequences of Merkel’s policies. But then this would require thinking about the consequences of similar populist mendacities being circulated in our own country by political leaders whom Bromund supports.

Kenneth Cusick, Bayside

Undue concerns over group home

As a grandparent of an autistic child, I was horrified to read “Group home plan for men with autism draws concern” [News, Nov. 13].

Autistic children and adults are not a danger to a community. They are warm, caring, wonderful people who happen to have a disability. Shame on the Smithtown resident who expressed concern for a young family that might move in “to find out they’re next door to that.”

I would be more concerned for a family that moved in next door to people as insensitive and bigoted as some of those neighbors.

Fonda Leibowitz, Plainview

Media’s playing its watchdog role

The writer who suggested that Newsday “look in the mirror” before assigning motives and blame (Letters, Nov. 4) is way off the mark. Critical reporting by Newsday and many other media outlets about the Trump administration is indeed valid and the media does praise when praise is merited.

We have never had such chaos in the White House, as stated by many past and present members of Trump’s staff. We have never had so much hatred unleashed by white supremacists and members of similar organizations. Cries of “The media is the real enemy of the people” by Trump are dangerous.

The media must continue to report because it’s the only check we have on an unorthodox president and a Republican-led Congress that will not maintain checks and balances as it should.

Lyn Mendelsohn, Oceanside

LIRR should try to pre-announce trains

While your editorial suggests not letting commuters down to platforms at Penn Station until people exit just-arrived trains, you fail to take into account that people need time to descend to tracks [“Crowds at Penn need to be safe,” Nov. 13].

The Long Island Rail Road should not have a train come from the east and immediately be boarded to return east. Why not pre-announce platforms so people can descend before trains arrive? Trains are posted in Jamaica well in advance, why not at Penn?

Lynne Denis, East Moriches

Donald Trump a master of spin

Everyone, but his base, knows that President Donald Trump is a master of spinning the truth. He continually accuses others of exactly what he and Republicans are guilty of.

Case in point: His recent attacks on Democrats of representing “mob rule.” The jaw-dropping irony is especially lost on his faithful, rowdy mob at his rallies who love to scream, “Lock her up!”, punch out those who dare to protest him and wear T-shirts that promote lynching journalists.

Mob rule? As he would say, “Gimme a break.”

Martin Geller, Manhasset

Questions remain about assessments

I attended a meeting at a satellite assessment office on Nov. 7 to review the basis of our assessment. The representative was very polite and helpful.

As it turned out, the estimate was not accurate and our home appeared to be overassessed by about $50,000, which was noted by the representative. Only two out of 10 home sales in my immediate neighborhood were used to determine the fair market value. We presented our research of values of similar homes for sale in our neighborhood and assessments of our neighbors.

According to a letter from County assessor David Moog, “all information you supply at the meeting will be reviewed and revisions to market value estimates will be made by the Department of Assessment, if deemed appropriate, following your meeting.” It also said the values could be adjusted by his office until published in the tentative assessment roll on Jan. 2.

My questions are: How will this revision process work? When will we be notified of any change in the estimated value? And, will we have to go through a formal property tax appeal to have the value revised, if still not satisfied?

Jerry Cohen, Plainview