Sanders' mittens get a warm response

How wonderful is it that the mittens and memes of Sen. Bernie Sanders (D-Vt.) have raised almost $2 million for charities ["Sanders’ mittens, memes raise $1.8M for charity," LI Business, Jan. 28]. Sanders isn’t taking any royalties, and no tax dollars are being used. What an ingenious idea — capitalism.

Mitchell Rakita,

Lake Grove

Tax confusion creating a mess

If Legis. John Ferretti (R-Levittown) and Steven Rhoads (R-Wantagh) understood the countywide tax assessment system, I believe they wouldn’t have passed a resolution and filed a lawsuit against Nassau County Executive Laura Curran’s administration ["2 GOP Lawmakers sue Curran over tax bill info," News, Jan. 30]. I believe that the line in the tax bill that was removed resulted in confusion, fueled by the legislators who misinterpreted it. That line valued the phase-in exemption, by multiplying the exemption by the tax rate. That’s a simple arithmetical calculation. Several people believed this would be the amount their taxes would increase after the phase-in. It doesn’t work that way. Several legislators issued mailers promoting that misunderstanding. Now, they want the Department of Assessment to predict how much taxes will be four years from now. It’s an impossible prediction — we can’t predict future tax levies. The same problem plagued the confusing tax impact letters. They cannot predict future taxes based on current values. They are distracting Curran with a lawsuit (costing taxpayer dollars) when she needs to concentrate on the COVID-19 battle. This is just a political attack. The legislators should be ashamed, putting their political careers before their constituents.

Scott Diamond,

Levittown

Jan. 6 was not like Dec. 7, 1941

I am incensed by the letter suggesting that Jan. 6 was a modern-day version of "the day of infamy" ["Make Jan. 6 a day of remembrance," Letters, Jan. 29]. Dec. 7, 1941 is when Pearl Harbor was bombed and thousands of men and women were attacked and killed and a U.S. naval fleet destroyed by a foreign enemy. If the writer believes the Jan. 6 riot should be designated as a day of remembrance, then I say so should the months of the past summer’s riots and protests be remembered because during those riots more people died and many Americans had their properties and businesses vandalized. Why are Americans becoming so narrow-minded in their thinking? Can we stop being so gaslighted by the media and begin to draw our own conclusions?

Carolyn Mastro,

Port Washington

Stop nitpicking over stimulus package

Are our elected officials living in the real world? Do they know what it is like to worry about getting their next meal or going hungry? They have received steady paychecks throughout these trying times. Their constituents have suffered while they nitpick over a stimulus package and their future political careers. Let’s get back to the real crisis and save our country and its people.

Carol Coughlin,

Lynbrook

Northport VA gives vaccine to veterans

Regarding readers’ dismay over the lack of opportunity for COVID-19 vaccines, I noticed a few people stated they were veterans ["Anger and anxiety on LI over lack of vaccines," Letters, Jan. 31]. I know veterans who went to the Northport VA Medical Center for the vaccine. If eligible but unable to drive, perhaps the VA could help with transportation.

Adrienne Derison,

Flushing

My husband is 90 and I am 88. We no longer drive and would be unable to wait in a long line. How can we possibly expect to get the vaccine? Couldn’t the towns have a bus go around for the older people? Maybe the senior centers? Also, why can’t husbands and wives both get the shots at the same time, even if one is in a higher priority? It would save double trips and be better protection for families.

Kathleen Donnelly,

Nesconset

I remember years ago in New York, we rationed gasoline. Why not do a variation of that program for COVID-19 vaccinations, using last names, starting with "A." If supply gets fixed and doctors, firehouses, drugstores, etc., participate, maybe logging onto a state website will work more efficiently to set up appointments.

Terry Horowitz,

Huntington

Forget about COVID-19. If it doesn’t kill you, trying to get a vaccine surely will.

Lawrence Mogen,

Dix Hills