Seat belts on buses, student debt, solid waste, Ukraine war, WNBA New York Liberty

Wearing seat belts on buses a must

It makes no sense to mandate seat-belt use in passenger cars and trucks but not in motor coaches [“Big bus seat belt use in spotlight,” News, Oct. 1]. A state bill would mandate seat belt use in school buses.

As a Long Island librarian, I conducted over 200 trips with library patrons. For years, buses did not have seat belts for passengers even though bus drivers always had one. Finally, when seat belts were installed on buses, I did ask my fellow travelers to buckle up as a precaution.

I would travel up and down the aisle and chat with everyone on each trip. Knowing this, people strapped their seat belts. If the passengers on the motor coach carrying members of the Farmingdale High School band that crashed on Sept. 21 had their seat belts on, the injuries likely would have been less serious.

Until it is mandated by law that seat belts must be used on motor coach trips, it is up to trip coordinators to ask all passengers to have their seat belts on while the bus is in motion.

— Robert Konoski, East Setauket

Others benefit from getting bills reduced

I do understand both sides of the student loan forgiveness argument (they took out loans so they should pay it back; I paid for my kids’ college costs) [“Three views about student debt,” Letters, Oct. 3]. But this isn’t the only program in which some people would get a benefit over another group.

What about the beneficiaries of all the companies that advertise reducing or forgiving outstanding federal tax bills? Or that a person can negotiate a lower credit card debt? Both programs pay off debts that were known, contracted and not paid off in full.

— Andrea Witt, Huntington

Cop training facility a win-win for all

A reader says that money being used to build a police training facility could be better spent in other areas, such as those with high crime, and instead use it to fund affordable housing, jobs and to clean up downtown areas [“Police could spend millions in better ways,” Letters, Oct. 3].

In addition, does the reader really believe that “the efficacy of playing cops and robbers in a fake village is questionable”? This future training facility could save lives — lives of officers and the public. Better training can decrease negative interactions with the police and the public.

These training facilities are sorely needed to help the officers better perform their duties.

— Joe Alagna, Levittown

The writer retired as an NYPD lieutenant.

Carts aren’t returned — so glass? No way

A reader’s suggestion that we follow Germany’s lead and transport our recyclables to various locations is a non-starter [“LI at crossroads about solid waste,” Letters, Oct. 1]. If people are unwilling to put recyclables in a town-provided receptacle and walk it to the curb, what makes anyone think they will drive to a designated area for disposal?

All one has to do is observe the many shopping carts not returned to the proper areas and blocking countless parking spots in any supermarket parking lot despite many left just yards away from the cart return areas.

— Robert Giovannettone, Holbrook

Russia’s wealthy elite should be pressured

Most wars start and end through decisions made by the wealthy elite. Economic disputes are usually at the center. It can be argued that leading up to the war in Ukraine, the Russian wealthy elite became fed up with Ukraine’s wealthy elite favoring trade with Europe’s business elite [“Biden talks Ukraine with allies,” Nation & World, Oct. 4]. And Ukraine’s rebuff of a Russian trade pact in 2014 was the biggest affront that set the stage for this war.

Just as the United States sees Mexico and Canada as its economic territory, so, too, does Russia see Ukraine. Would the American business community ever allow China and Russia to get away with making special trade pacts at our expense with our border countries?

To end the war at this point, Ukraine should put pressure solely on the Russian wealthy elite. They should start by threatening those wealthy elite who put Russian President Vladimir Putin in place 24 years ago and who keep him there. Just a few coming under such a threat might save thousands of lives in a war that seems to have no end in sight.

— Richard Shein, Great Neck

WNBA’s Liberty needs better coverage

Why did the story of the WNBA’s New York Liberty advancing into its first final round in 21 years get buried deep inside the sports section and not get a big, major headline on the back page [“Liberty into finals,” Sports, Oct. 2]?

This is unfair to the women of this outstanding basketball team. Better overall coverage of the WNBA is in order.

— Frank Rizzo, Farmingville