Newsday letters to the editor for Monday, Jan. 15, 2018

Special counsel’s probe must go on

Robert Mueller, the special counsel charged with investigating Russia’s interference in the 2016 election, has been under constant threat since his appointment [“Mueller said to seek interview with Trump,” News, Jan. 9]. The citizens of the United States deserve to know the truth about Russia’s role in the presidential election.

The most precious democratic ideals necessary to prevent tyranny are transparency and accountability. Our presidents must be held to the highest standards; therefore, they need to be subject to fair and independent review. Those of us who lived through the Watergate scandal remember this only too well.

Mueller’s investigation must continue, and our elected officials should fully support him against any threat of firing.

Lisa Oldendorp, Massapequa

Editor’s note: The writer is an organizer with Move Forward LI, an activist group.

End Nassau’s ‘county guarantee’

A criminal investigation isn’t necessary to find out what’s wrong with the Nassau County assessment appeal system [“DA must step in on assessments,” Editorial, Jan. 8].

Nassau’s problem starts with the fact that, like only two counties in New York, it collects not only county taxes, but also school district taxes. School taxes are based on the county assessment and can run many times more than county taxes.

So, when the county fights a challenge and several years later loses in court, it often has to pay out more than it received from that property during the contested period. The result has been that the county has given in rather than take the risk.

This very good decision by then-County Executive Edward Mangano significantly cut the borrowing previously required to pay the judgments.

State government needs to relieve Nassau County of this infamous school district guarantee and restore the county’s ability to fight challenges. When the lawyers can no longer get easy wins, their services will appear less attractive.

Dennis J. Duffy, Lynbrook

Editor’s note: The writer is a former Lynbrook school board member.

A poor message for the comics page

I was very distressed to read “The Duplex” cartoon on Jan. 9 (above). It depicts a woman viciously hitting a man across the face. The man then responds, “Some people gesture with their hands too much when they talk.”

Interpersonal violence isn’t funny, and our failure as a society to recognize abuse for what it is has been a serious problem. A message like this shouldn’t show up on the comics page.

Karen Osterman, Port Washington

Dedicated VA nurses deserve a larger raise

The registered professional nursing staff is the backbone of any hospital, and the Northport Veterans Affairs Medical Center is no exception. Our nurses work very hard to provide excellent care to all of our veterans. Our staff goes the extra mile time after time.

Using the snowstorm of Jan. 4 as an example, many of the ancillary and administrative staff went home while the nursing staff took over [“Whiteout,” News, Jan. 5]. Many of the nurses remained on duty from Thursday through Saturday. They put the safety and comfort of the patients above their own needs. They scrambled to arrange child and elder care.

It was during this snowstorm that the nurses learned that we will not receive the same pay raise as the majority of the staff. The raise for registered professional nurses will be 1.4 percent, while the rest of the staff will get 2.1 percent.

This is completely disrespectful. The nurses deserve more consideration and understanding.

Richard Walters, Ronkonkoma

Storekeepers should shovel their walkways

Many shopping centers failed to shovel the walkways connected to their properties after the recent blizzard.

This forced pedestrians to walk in the street, which is not as wide as usual because of the snow. Unfortunately, failing to clear the pathways is nothing new.

It’s very dangerous for people who need to walk to their destinations and are forced to walk on busy streets or trek through a foot of snow on the sidewalk.

Stephen Atanasoff, Valley Stream

Do people understand the meaning of street signs that say “No Parking During Snow Emergency”?

People blatantly disregard the signs, and the streets cannot be plowed efficiently.

I know reminding these vehicle owners is the last thing the police need to do during a storm. Maybe the day after a storm, plowed-in cars that are still covered in snow should get tickets.

Maureen Cohen, Floral Park Centre