Giving the disabled freedom to succeed

I found the juxtaposition of two May 12 guest essays interesting. While reading the first one where freedom cannot exist with equality, I found myself thinking that the writer was using the wrong word [“Painful truth about freedom, equality,” Opinion]. I agree that not all people are blessed or burdened with the same advantages or disadvantages. But he is confusing equality with equity. Equity was explained to me with this example: If I have a broken leg, I need a cast and crutches, but not everyone needs a cast and crutches; only people with broken legs do.

As a regular education teacher in an inclusion class, I saw the difference a “little help” can make for students who need it [“Cutbacks threaten students with disabilities”]. A parent once told me her son described his disability as an additional weight he needed to carry. It slowed him down, made him tired, and he had to work harder just to keep up. She told my special education colleague that what we had done was not carry his weight for him but simply gave him the tools to be able to carry it more easily and allowed him to fulfill his dreams. Watching him, and students like him, succeed was the greatest joy of my career.

 — Kathleen Dubuke, Farmingdale

Debate on housing and LI open spaces

Randi F. Marshall suggests that “challengers in Huntington and Smithtown promote false narratives on preservation” [“Housing takes center in town elections,” Opinion, May 16]. While I cannot comment on Marshall’s take on Huntington, I can say that her column clearly missed the mark with respect to the issues that have been raised in Smithtown.

The writer incorrectly seeks to combine two distinct matters. In Smithtown, the preservation of our precious open spaces and the need for additional housing options are both important but separate issues. I have not proclaimed that “bucolic nature preserves, towering trees and vast stretches of green open space” will be replaced by housing, as the writer suggests.

The housing debate centers on the current state administration’s plan for unreasonable housing density that would change the character of our community and overburden local resources and services. No one is suggesting that we shouldn’t have more housing units or that downtown revitalization isn’t necessary, but such efforts must be made responsibly, for the benefit of all, not just connected developers.

I agree that legitimate conversations need to take place. However, opinion pieces that mischaracterize the issues do little to further such dialogue.

 — Robert Trotta, Fort Salonga

The writer is a Republican candidate for Smithtown Town supervisor.

Your editorial calling for housing at Sunrise Mall in Massapequa misses the real issue: Long Island’s property taxes are unaffordable — and Albany is making them worse [“Build housing at empty malls,” Opinion, May 15].

The state continues pushing increased costs onto local governments while failing to provide funding for critical infrastructure and other services mandated by law. Our roads are clogged, sewers strained, classrooms overcrowded, and water systems underfunded.

Meanwhile, energy costs are soaring, and sanitation is becoming a crisis with Long Island’s only landfill scheduled to close without a regional solution.

Housing won’t work without state support. Building dense housing places enormous pressure on local services and drives up costs for all taxpayers. That’s why Long Island is so expensive.

The editorial also misleads readers by implying that failing to add housing will shift the tax burden onto homeowners. In reality, 99% of commercial property taxes remain in the commercial class under state law. That protection is there to ensure fairness — not to justify more housing.

We should absolutely redevelop vacant malls — but with smart, sustainable uses like high-tech, manufacturing, warehousing, medical services, and green technology. These uses grow our economy without overloading our infrastructure or punishing taxpayers even further.

 — Gary Slavin, Massapequa

Give NUMC chance for needed success

I agree wholeheartedly that “NUMC needs leadership transplant” [Editorial, May 18]. If I learned anything from working at the Nassau University Medical Center for over 30 years as administrator of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, it’s this:

First, you will not find a more caring, compassionate and hardworking group of employees. Their deep desire to tirelessly help a community in need was unmatched and inspiring.

Second, years of feckless mismanagement by NUMC leaders has predictably threatened the survival of an invaluable facility. If we continue to be complicit and do not demand change, why would we expect different results? Let’s stop repeating the mistakes.

NUMC must remain open and serve Nassau County’s most needy citizens. Gov. Kathy Hochul has accepted this challenge. Let’s give her a chance to succeed.

— David Lavenda, Islandia