Letter: Skeptical about congestion

Congestion pricing is initially aimed at reducing traffic below 61st Street in Manhattan, but if people reading this don’t think that it will quickly expand through all sections of the city and suburbs, they are kidding themselves [“Congestion pricing,” News, April 1].

Once our revenue-thirsty state and local legislatures see how easily and invisibly E-ZPass makes it to add to public coffers, the tolls (I call them a tax) will pop up all over the state.

So buckle up, folks, it’s a new dawn and your ever-increasing payments to New York State will expand yet again.

Apparently, there is nothing we can do to stop it short of packing up and joining our former neighbors in Carolina and Florida.

Richard Doyle,

  Lake Grove

Trump trying to stack the Fed

President Donald Trump’s attempts to stack the Federal Reserve Board with political allies Stephen Moore and Herman Cain bring into focus the most dangerous aspect of his presidency [“U.S. adds 196G jobs for March,” Business]. It’s his utter lack of concern for the future of our country.

Since the Fed, a traditionally nonpartisan body, is concerned with the long-term health of our economy, its members oppose Trump’s feel-good-now approach.

This credo is seen in his lack of concern for the environment or the rising national debt (which he reportedly said isn’t important because it won’t become a factor until after he would finish a second term). I truly believe he couldn’t care less about the nation once he is out of office.

Paul Gott,

  East Setauket

With his nomination of businessman Herman Cain to the Federal Reserve Board, our president has again demonstrated how loyalty and submission to his political agenda trump any consideration of experience, knowledge, qualification and fitness. Any way you slice it, this pizza maven is not cut out to be a member of the federal board that decides U.S. monetary policy.

Norman Geller,

  East Norwich

Try a new approach for striped bass

The March 29 news story “Fishing for a workable solution” described efforts to deal with a steady drop in the population of spawning-age striped bass.

I have been a recreational fisherman for about 50 years. On a recent trip to Alaska, one possible solution was brought to my attention. Authorities there instituted a “reverse slot limit” for halibut. It allows fishers in some places to keep fish below a certain size that cannot spawn, one per day. Very large fish also can be kept, one per day. The majority of the population in between must be released to ensure a healthy spawning population.

Right now, fishers are allowed to keep one striped bass 28 inches or longer per day in Long Island waters between April 15 and Dec. 15. With a reverse slot limit, a smaller size of non-spawning fish could be designated as legal to keep, one per day. Then as for chasing that elusive trophy bass, let’s look at fish 44 inches and above at one per day. All spawning sizes in between would be released.

Steve Aydinian,

  East Quogue

Toughen fines for school-bus passers

The April 8 editorial “School bus cams could save lives” called New York State’s penalty for passing stopped school buses steep (a fine of $250 to $400, five points on one’s driver’s license, and a possible 30 days in jail).

I say it’s nowhere near steep enough because it fails to deter the estimated 50,000 times a day that a trade association says motor vehicles illegally pass school buses in the state. Suffolk County police issued only 118 tickets for the act last year.

If we really care about our children, we would put cameras on every school bus and enforce penalties draconian enough to deter this unconscionable offense.

Richard Siegelman,

  Plainview

Really? The priority is plastic straws?

When Rome was burning, Nero played his fiddle. While Suffolk County careens toward bankruptcy, its esteemed legislators give top priority to outlawing the use of plastic straws [“Plastic straw ban approved,” News, April 10]. Is there any doubt about why people are leaving Long Island?

Lawrence W. Cregan,

  East Northport