Ian ignites ruckus over Florida aid

I find myself somewhat conflicted. Florida has no income tax. Its governor, Ron DeSantis, recently sent migrants north in a political statement to embarrass states trying to humanely deal with immigration. Most of these states have an income tax.

DeSantis spoke out against the federal government assisting New York after Superstorm Sandy. Now, he wants the federal government to pay for the restoration of his state from the damage suffered from Hurricane Ian [" 'Massive' aid for Florida," News, Oct. 3].

To attract businesses and retirees to migrate there, this is the same state that advertises that it has no income tax. It’s time that Florida accepts some responsibility for the threat of the recurring costs of rebuilding its state after devastating hurricanes. An income tax to build a fund to recover from these storms should be instituted. It is not fair that the states harassed by Florida have to be burdened with rebuilding the state.

Patrick Ehmann, Ronkonkoma

It is heartbreaking watching videos of the destruction from Hurricane Ian in Florida. It brought back terrible memories of the destruction here from superstorm Sandy. Lives lost, lives upended for a long time. It also brought up memories of politicians such as then-Rep. Ron DeSantis and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and others who blocked vitally needed federal help for New Yorkers. In fact, DeSantis voted against that aid for New York calling it an "irresponsible boondoggle.” Our congressional representatives had to fight for months to get this aid. After a hurricane in Houston, Cruz made sure that aid was expedited even after he denied New Yorkers the aid we needed. DeSantis has already applied for federal aid for Floridians who are suffering now, and I’m sure that he will get it.

We are all Americans and we pay the federal taxes that are used for situations like this. To deny or block this aid is strictly for petty political purposes. I hope that the many snowbirds who go from New York to Florida remember this.

Peggy Fallon, Glen Cove

In 2012, the tristate area was hit by superstorm Sandy with devastating destruction. Federal assistance was requested in 2012 and 2013 ["Florida power outage no match for LI," Letters, Oct. 3]. Sen. Marco Rubio and then-Rep. Ron DeSantis voted no. When questioned about a complete turnaround by asking the government for money now, DeSantis said he could not be bothered with “pettiness,” and Rubio did not respond. The callous hypocrisy of these Republicans seems infinite. Would not the hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayer money that DeSantis spent on his flying migrants to Martha’s Vineyard political stunt been put to better use today?

Phyliss Grodofsky, Merrick

The people of Martha's Vineyard had a golden opportunity to demonstrate their professed liberal ideologies. Had they fully welcomed the roughly 50 migrants to the island, the residents and local elected officials would have set a fine example for the rest of the country. With all the hotels, restaurants and other vacation venues, it is hard to imagine that these folks could not have been integrated into the fabric of one of the most beautiful places in Massachusetts.

Mary McCaffery, Farmingdale

After Superstorm Sandy devastated New York, then-Florida Congressman Ron DeSantis voted against aid for New York. Now, in similar circumstances as governor, he is first on the “help me” line. He should realize that we New Yorkers, acknowledging that we are all Americans, put petty politics and rancor aside and are glad to aid our countrymen in his stricken state -- with no strings attached.

Richard M. Frauenglass, Huntington

With the devastation to Florida and South Carolina, the South and its governors are going to need a lot of helpers not only to clean up debris but to rebuild build homes, hotels, stores. apartments, roads and bridges. They should consider using migrants to help. It would be a two-way street. Migrants would earn money and also state their cases for citizenship.

Jeffrey Myles Klein, Centereach