Letters: Two reasons to avoid ticket fee
A sign indicating the presence of a red-light camera is seen in Baldwin on May 7, 2014. Credit: Newsday / Thomas A. Ferrara
At a time when anti-police sentiment is at a high in our nation, Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano and the Republican-controlled legislature are poised to make life a great deal more difficult for the members of the Nassau County Police Department [“Nassau ticket fees cut,” News, Nov. 16].
They suggest imposing a “public safety fee” surcharge on moving violations. It is claimed that this $55 fee is needed to hire officers. Never in my memory have tickets been directly linked to police salaries.
Can you imagine the abuse our officers will face from disgruntled motorists? Also, what’s to stop county officials from pressuring cops to write more tickets whenever the budget needs a boost?
This is unfair to the public and the police. Cut a pork project or a patronage job or a feel-good social program, but hire those cops. And don’t put them in the position of having to pay their own salaries through traffic enforcement.
Kevin Lowry, Elmont
Editor’s note:The writer is a retired Nassau police chief.
Here’s a novel idea! If we’re looking to increase revenue, how about enforcing the laws we already have in place?
My estimate is that we could produce 10,000 violations a day for use of handheld cellphones while driving on Sunrise Highway alone. There are probably another 1,000 parking violations a day at our public schools and, for good measure, let’s add at least 100 violations for parking in spaces for disabled drivers.
It’s sad that we’ve let these violations go unaddressed, so that the new norm is to disregard these laws.
Kevin Ryder, Wantagh
