School taxes, Brookhaven waste, tulips, and more

Will schools cut taxes like Floyd proposes?

It's refreshing to see that the William Floyd School District acknowledged the historic boost in state financial aid, enabling the district to decrease school taxes ["William Floyd district proposes tax cut," News, April 26]. What are the rest of Long Island's school districts going to do with the funding? Absorb it to pay more six-figure, duplicative administration salaries? Pay more high teacher salaries? How about lowering school taxes across the board on Long Island?

Lenore Isgro, Sea Cliff

I am the product of two public school teachers. My father represented teachers negotiating contracts within the East Williston School District and retired as a school administrator. I understand and support school funding and teachers' salaries. However, what is beyond frustrating is the continued lack of conversation about the funding source needing to change. Where are new and creative ideas to address school funding? Even though I never had children attending public schools, I believe we all have a responsibility to fund our schools, not just property owners. The funding source must be addressed and improved. Unions not supporting the 2% tax cap is understandable, but what is their answer to funding? Demanding more money from the state is old and stale. More funding from the state means more money from me. I will never vote to override the cap, ever. Don't pop the property tax cap. Fix the problem.

Victoria Cautela, Oakdale

Brookhaven supports waste reduction bill

Brookhaven Town strongly supports efforts to reduce the amount of solid waste that has to be incinerated or landfilled [“A better way to recycle,” Editorial, March 29]. The town supports efforts to reduce this waste stream through the adoption of effective Extended Producer Responsibility plans.

The EPR bill proposed by Assemb. Steve Englebright (D-Setauket) would mandate waste reduction, requiring manufacturers to redesign packaging products to be reused or recycled.

Manufacturers should also be required to utilize recycled materials in their product designs and be prohibited from using toxic materials in the manufacture of product packaging.

Finally, New York State, not the packaging companies, should be in charge of regulating and enforcing the provisions of any EPR law. That’s why Brookhaven’s town board supports Englebright’s bill.

Ed Romaine, Farmingville

The writer is Brookhaven Town supervisor.

Tulips are pretty but toxic to dogs and cats

I am an ardent animal lover and avid gardener. My eyes were immediately drawn to the picture of Samantha Nicks and her dog, Gehrig, at last year’s tulip festival at the Waterdrinker Family Farm & Garden in Manorville ["Fun in bloom," exploreLI, April 19]. A red flag popped up. Tulips are poisonous to dogs and cats. According to the ASPCA website (and veterinary websites), tulips, hyacinths and irises “are all considered toxic to both dogs and cats, and can cause vomiting, diarrhea and drooling if ingested.” Readers should know this.

Barbara Kurek, East Islip

DEC should not OK turkey hunting in Suffolk

The Department of Environmental Conservation’s claim that the "existence of wild turkeys on Long Island is a relatively recent phenomenon” in its bid to add a 2023 hunting season on Long Island is inaccurate as it makes the same false claims about our native waterfowl ["State eyes more turkey hunting for Suffolk in '23," News, April 8].

Native Americans, Canada geese and wild turkeys lived together harmoniously for thousands of years on Long Island, but egg harvesting, hunting and the destruction of wetland habitats by European colonists led to shrinking flocks, and by the early 1900s, both species were nearly extinct in New York. Reintroduction efforts, ironically spearheaded by the DEC, have brought back both species. However, with DEC funding relying heavily on hunting licenses, it is no wonder the department is so quick to forget why these species were nearly eradicated from our state to begin with. Conservationists should oppose the DEC’s latest proposal to kill part of Long Island’s native wildlife.

John Di Leonardo, Riverhead

The writer is president of Long Island Orchestrating for Nature.