'Some' voter fraud is not acceptable

‘Some’ voter fraud is not acceptable

I am getting sick and tired of hearing politicians, media and pundits all saying there is "no evidence of widespread fraud" to "overturn" the election ["Barr: No widespread fraud," News, Dec. 2]. Wait a second, is it me? This is not just about overturning the election. I believe they are saying there is some fraud. Are they all missing the point here? Some fraud is OK? Is this what we want to teach our children: that it’s OK to cheat, as long as it’s "not too much"?

Steven Zollo, West Islip

Jets need new owner like Cohen

If we want the Jests, yes Jests, not J-E-T-S, to win, I say the team needs new ownership ["What’s five more weeks, Jets fans?," Sports, Dec. 1]. I wish someone like the Mets’ new owner, Steve Cohen, would buy the Jets, move them back to Queens and build a stadium next to Citi Field. Then we would have a real New York team, not a New Jersey team. I am tired of more than 50 years of rebuilding with nothing to show for it other than a few failed playoff appearances.

Bernie McGrath, Holbrook

The real assessment problem

Nassau County is quick to address residential property assessments, which equate to voters ["‘Temporary’ freeze," News, Dec. 3]. I believe, however, that commercial property assessments are the real problem. Office and retail properties are greatly overassessed and operating at deficits. Home prices are rising while commercial property prices are declining. If Nassau County freezes residential property assessments, what happens to commercial property assessments? How will commercial property owners pay rising property taxes when there is no income after mortgage payments and expenses? I believe Nassau County needs to review the entire property tax system, not just residential property taxes, or it will end up owning all commercial property.

Clifford Sondock, Melville

Editor’s note: The writer is president of the Land Use Institute.

Benefit of forgiving student debt

Did you know that student loan debt is the only debt you can’t get protection from via bankruptcy ["Readers on forgiving student loans," Letters, Dec. 1]? No matter what happens in your life, it will follow you. You can’t buy cigarettes or alcohol until you are 21. But you can take out thousands of dollars in student loan debt without a second thought. In my view, erasing $50,000 in student loan debts would do more for our local economy than a $2 trillion tax cut for corporations ever could. That kid who now lives in his parents’ basement that you love to criticize? He’d be paying rent somewhere else, maybe to you. That young couple who just had a baby and is saddled with student debt? Maybe they’d go and spend money on a home renovation or a night out at your restaurant. It is time we start putting people first. Maybe you wouldn’t directly benefit from this forgiveness, but do you own a small business? Work for a small business? Own a home and need to rent out your apartment? Then you might benefit indirectly. So please fight the inclination to be selfish and look at the big picture. People need help now, and this is just one small way.

Will Schleisner, Sound Beach

Regarding Sen. Chuck Schumer’s proposal to eliminate up to $50,000 of federal student loans per student, I say it must be an all-inclusive plan to also "reward" those whose parents saved and sacrificed ["Schumer urges Biden to forgive up to $50K in student loans," News, Nov. 25]. While it would’ve been nice to go on that fancy Caribbean vacation, or buy that more luxurious car, our family chose to put that money away for the kids’ future educational needs so they wouldn’t be burdened with student loan debt. I’m not naive to the fact that for a lot of families choosing between a luxury purchase or taking that money and saving was never a decision they had to make. However, students and families make decisions that perhaps mean they voluntarily are choosing to take on extensive debt, choosing private over public schools, or living at school versus being a commuter. For those students and families who chose not to mortgage their futures, a fair and equitable plan needs to be designed so that both those who benefit from loan forgiveness and those who decided not to take on student loans are equally rewarded.

Wayne Seid, Plainview

I have read with interest the letters of all those not in favor of forgiving student loan debt and the resentment that it came with. There is some resentment. Maybe the government can lower the interest rate from 6-8% to 1-2% and the loans can be paid off. This ridiculously high rate was put in place by Republicans. I was amused by those who claimed they paid off their own loan with a part-time job. That, of course, was possible with a loan from 50 years ago. Hopefully, the new Department of Education will keep the Loan Forgiveness Program in effect, granting loan forgiveness to those who have worked in public service and have made loan payments for 10 years.

Elizabeth Leyser, Hicksville