MTA fare hikes and road transit, Nassau County taxes, Huntington town clerk, bombs for Ukraine

Fare hikes aside, let’s connect LI to NJ

While fare hikes are necessary, what are some of the big ideas for the future of automobile transportation [“MTA plans fare, toll hikes,” News, July 20]? Everyone who has resided on Long Island knows it is a beautiful place to live and visit but an extremely challenging place to travel to from the mainland.

There are limited numbers of lanes for bridges and tunnels and endless numbers of roads in Brooklyn and Queens that wind their way to these narrow access routes across the Hudson River. Vehicles that originate on Long Island destined to New Jersey, Pennsylvania and elsewhere must compete with New York City traffic.

I’ve never heard of proposals to consider a tunnel or causeway connecting the South Shore of Western Nassau County to the New Jersey shore. Obviously, it would be a monumental task but a means to connect nearly 3 million people in Nassau and Suffolk counties to the mainland and reduce thousands of vehicles competing with city traffic.

New York continues to improve existing roads, but these don’t address the traffic problems of today or 25 years from today. What are the big ideas for the future?

— James Santangelo, Stony Brook

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority is raising fares and tolls again — no surprise. But the recently approved congestion-pricing scheme adds insult to injury for commuters. The Beatles had a song in 1966 called “Taxman.” Some lyrics are coming to fruition: “I’ll tax the street . . . ‘Cause I’m the taxman.” Whoever thought back then — almost 60 years ago — that our politicians would ever think of anything as ridiculous as this?

But they did. Congestion pricing in Manhattan is an ill-conceived idea that will harm businesses and likely hurt the Big Apple’s economy, which is struggling to recover from the pandemic.

— Maureen Beyer, Woodmere

Isn’t it interesting that when MTA chairman and CEO Janno Lieber defends these price hikes, he doesn’t mention things like “We’ve discovered $1 billion of inefficiencies, waste and cost overruns that we can eliminate from the budget.

“And, by the way, we’re capping overtime at 120% base pay for all employees to reduce pension costs.”

— Andy Bonomo, Seaford

If Nassau has surplus, then lower our taxes

Nassau County Comptroller Elaine Phillips states that the county had a $435 million surplus last year [“Different ways to do county surplus math,” Letters, July 13]. That’s fantastic.

Quickly doing the math, that’s more than $200 per person. If we have the surplus, as she states, I think lowering our taxes by that amount would be the right thing to do. Let’s face it, we are one of the highest-taxed counties in the country. Any savings would be great.

— Randy Perlmutter, Oceanside

How can Nassau County Comptroller Elaine Phillips write: “There are two different methods of calculating the county’s year-end financial results”? Does she really believe that, and when does GAAP — Generally Accepted Accounting Principles — come into play? Is she a certified public accountant?

Does Phillips believe she can mix and match results? Were her county results audited and, if so, by whom, or did she release unaudited results?

— Dave Beldner, East Rockaway

Town should not tighten public access

Restricting access to the Huntington Town clerk is like asking for an ID at the library or denying entry to public courts. It’s a public institution [“Huntington looks to tighten access at Town Hall,” News, July 17].

I have lived in Huntington for over 25 years and had one problem with the town several years ago. In person, I simply asked for them to verify my property tax stamp before Dec. 31 and was told they were too busy to do so. I told them this was unacceptable, and they sent for security. I did not curse or yell.

As a retired NYPD lieutenant and career civil servant, I believe the town should not ignore people with legitimate concerns or build a wall. This is not how a “public service” should act.

— Russell Burghard, Huntington

Ukraine needs peace more than our bombs

President Joe Biden said his decision to provide cluster bombs to Ukraine was a “difficult decision,” adding, “It took me a while to be convinced to do it” [“Cluster bombs for Ukraine,” News, July 8].

I wonder how much more difficult a choice it would be for the President to use his power and influence to insist there be an immediate truce or even mention peace talks?

Sending these weapons, which a U.N. spokesperson said “should stop immediately and not be used in any place,” will only escalate and prolong the conflict leading to the deaths of countless more military and civilian lives.

Billions of dollars, tens of thousands of deaths and casualties, homes, hospitals, cities and infrastructure destroyed all in the name of “victory.”

It’s time to stop the madness and call for peace talks.

— Peter Pellegrini, Seaford