EDITORIAL Letters to the Editor
It’s high time
Better storm-surge defense
To The Editor:
Re “Flood of concerns over E. Side resiliency
redo” (Dec. 13):
Far better to build regional storm-surge sea gates
far out to sea and across the upper East River and simultaneously
protect the entire 540-mile New York/
New Jersey Harbor coastline — 1,000 miles, if you
include the lower Hudson Valley.
This would protect all three major airports, all
the tunnels, communication facilities, sewage-treatment
plants, transportation systems and hospitals. It
would also include protection for the outer boroughs
of Brooklyn and Queens.
Then, focus on building modest 5-foot-to-6-foothigh
seawalls where necessary to restrain the slow
but relentless rise in sea levels. It’s all designed to
last for 100 years.
Malcolm J. Bowman
Bowman is a professor, Stony Brook University,
School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences
Awash in betrayal
To The Editor:
Re “Flood of concerns over E. Side resiliency
redo” (Dec. 13):
The city has broken the trust of the community
— which has worked for four years to give input to
create a resilient East River Park — by announcing
a new design approach that was brokered behind
closed doors. This is totally unacceptable.
The city should put this project on hold and engage
with the community and work on a design
framework we can agree to — otherwise more time
and taxpayers’ money is being wasted!
Christine Datz-Romero
Datz-Romero is executive director, Lower East Side
Ecology Center
Tech invasion, no thanks!
To The Editor:
Re “Google it? Google it? Tech giant eyes Downtown
expansion” (news article, Dec. 13):
It would be great if both Amazon and Google left
New York City. This has become a city where only
the wealthy can live, and these type of high-tech
Publisher of The Villager,
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fi rms have made the situation much worse for most
New Yorkers. New York is now fi led with empty
stores and high-tech jobs — a very antisocial city.
Politicians that support these fi rms are weak, and
no one knows why Amazon is going to be subsidized
with taxpayer dollars if it is doing so well. If this was
put up for a vote, the majority would want Google
and Amazon to get out of New York City.
Ralph Petrillo
Chris Quinn and the facts
To The Editor:
Re “Quinn ‘seriously considered’ public advocate,
but not running” (new article, Nov. 29):
Nice fl uff piece on Christine Quinn but let’s not
forget the facts. The article quotes her statement,
saying, “I look forward to driving reforms that can
help thousands of families struggling every day.”
I and many in this neighborhood that she betrayed,
will not forget that she facilitated the gifting
of our hospital and our nursing home to real estate
while supposedly serving the community. She also
reversed years of hard work setting term limits.
Take note, Brad Hoylman, that anyone with a
brain will not trust a politician connected to her.
Lynn Pacifi co
Tracking Cuomo’s L moves
To The Editor:
Governor Andrew Cuomo’s overnight tour of the
Canarsie L line tunnel was just another in a series
of publicity stunts. As usual, he brings no additional
funding to pay for the obvious, just his shrill voice.
The M.T.A. has an army of experienced engineers
and engineering-consultant fi rms. Why does Cuomo
second-guess his own M.T.A. senior management
team by bringing in his own transportation experts?
Who paid for this additional layer of bureaucracy?
Larry Penner
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Ten states in this country have legalized the recreational
use of marijuana — and if Governor
Andrew Cuomo has anything to say about it,
New York will become the 11th to do so next year.
Currently, marijuana use is permitted in the Empire
State for medicinal purposes. In recent years, the
state and city have sought to decriminalize possession
of minute amounts of weed as part of overall efforts
to reform the criminal justice system.
The national trend on pot has been toward legalization,
and New York shouldn’t stand in the way any
longer.
The resources expended by law enforcement toward
keeping pot off the streets could be used to fi ght more
serious crimes. Marijuana-related businesses will create
new jobs and pump money into the economy at a
time when it’s beginning to slow down.
The revenue generated from taxes charged on marijuana
sales offers a new source of revenue to fund
public improvements.
While marijuana use should be legalized, the state
must regulate the use and sale of pot with regulations
similar to those applied to alcohol and tobacco
consumption — no sale or distribution to anyone under
21, no marijuana use while operating vehicles or
heavy machinery, etc.
Let’s legalize it, but let’s do it the right way.
Scapegoated
Joseph Esposito spent nearly 50 years in service to
New York City, and deserves a far better exit than
the one he’s been forced to endure.
The outgoing Offi ce of Emergency Management
commissioner spent 40 years with the New York
Police Department, rising from a trainee in 1968 to
the highest uniformed position the force has, chief
of department. He served honorably in that role for
13 years, from 2000 to his mandatory retirement in
2013.
Mayor Bill de Blasio made the smart move in calling
on Esposito to serve the city once more as Emergency
Management commissioner. In that job, Esposito continued
looking out for New Yorkers and making sure
the city could handle any crisis, large or small, with
relative ease.
But then de Blasio decided to place at Esposito’s
feet the blame for the city’s inept response to this past
November’s snowstorm. He had a deputy fi re him,
but due to confusion, Esposito never got the message.
He showed up to work days later, only to later agree
on his departure after a conversation with the mayor.
This shameful episode should not tarnish the public’s
appreciation for Esposito’s dedication to the people
of the city. He served the city responsibly from
start to fi nish, and no politician’s buck-passing can
change that fact.
The mayor may not have appreciated Esposito’s talents,
but the majority of us do. And in the end, that’s
all that counts.
12 December 20, 2018 TVG Schneps Media
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