Time for Buffalo’s callup, MLB
Orchard Park, N.Y.: Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred says he is considering expansion and looking at Montreal, Charlotte and Mexico City. But it is Buffalo that makes sense for an expansion team. We have a 20,000 seat stadium (AAA Bisons) that was constructed to add a third level of 20,000 or so for MLB. We enthusiastically support the Bills and Sabres. The city is in the midst of a renaissance. Tesla is opening a state of the art solar panel factory that will create 1,500 high-tech jobs. Panasonic is looking to partner with Tesla, which will build modules for solar roofing. Downtown has new housing, high-end restaurants, a brand new medical complex and magnificent architecture. Millennials are moving downtown in unprecedented numbers to be part of the vibe. Amazing waterfront development, mixed use housing, recreation and retail are emerging along Lake Erie and the Niagara River. The list goes on and on. We’d get support from Rochester as well as St. Catherines and Hamilton, Ontario and Erie, Pa. Proximity to Toronto should not be an issue (see Oakland and San Francisco). And don’t forget millions of visitors to Buffalo/Niagara during baseball season.
Buffalo is a proven Major League city and deserves serious consideration. Wayne Landesman
Make N.Y. tax-competitive
Kinderhook, N.Y.: The June 30 opinion piece authored by Dick Ravitch (“The betrayal of New York from within: Faso-Collins Medicaid maneuver would cut billions”) is just one more in the long list of examples of entrenched New York politicians choosing the status quo over the more difficult path of reform. The fact is, our children can’t find jobs in this state and absurdly high property taxes are forcing people to move to tax-friendly states like South Carolina and Texas. It is undeniable that people are leaving — and the Census data bears that out — as New York suffers from the highest out-migration rate in the country, and we have seen close to 2 million people flee since 2000. There is a reason people are leaving this state and one of those reasons is that the property taxes are too high. This is why I have been laser-focused on finally eliminating Nelson Rockefeller’s half-century-old mistake of imposing part of the state’s Medicaid costs on homeowners and property taxpayers. This is one of the things we have to fix. New York should join the 49 other states by not placing these undue burdens on homeowners and property taxpayers.
Rep. John J. Faso 19th Congressional District
Young and uncovered
Washington: A recent Gallup survey found that the number of uninsured Americans increased by 2 million this year (“Survey: US uninsured up by 2M this year as gains erode,” July 10). Coverage losses were most prominent among young adults. Young adults need insurance — and the insurance market needs them. Not only is it risky to forego coverage — the participation of young people in the insurance market helps keep premiums balanced. The Senate’s proposed health care reform bill is far from perfect. But it would most certainly encourage more young adults to sign up for coverage by reducing the premiums they’d pay. If more young, healthy adults enter the insurance pool, then premiums would drop for everyone else, too. Janet Trautwein, CEO National Association of
Health Underwriters
Competing with Putin
Little Egg Harbor, N.J.: Our President seems dazzled by Putin and hangs on to every word he says. Perhaps he is intrigued at the fact that this man has murdered hundreds. Not to worry. After you take away your people’s health insurance, you will go down in history as someone who is responsible for the death of thousands.
Rose S. Wilson
Lack of intelligence
Flushing: Fake patriot: A person who supports someone who takes the word of a former KGB murderer over that of the heads of multiple American agencies that deal with national security.
Arthur Clements
Alarming news
Bayside: The Fire Department was called to the White House three times last week. Each time they heard someone running up and down the halls screaming “Liar, liar, pants on fire!”
Jack Cohen
Selling out to the Russkies
Massapequa Park, L.I.: Doesn’t anyone remember Nikita Khrushchev, the premier of the Soviet Union, saying at the United Nations, “We’ll crush you from within?” Here we are now, with the Trump people and all these Republicans standing by, as he is giving our country away to the Russians right in front of our eyes. When will we wake up and impeach these traitors? Too many of our men and women have died for this beautiful country to have it taken away by the Trump people. Our children and grandchildren’s lives depend on us to stand up and be counted on. Impeach him now! Frank Mullahey
Trump is getting better
Bow, N.H.: To Joe and Mika: I also left the Republican Party but still vote conservative so the result is always for a Republican. Trump overreacted in his comments about you but I believe he will become an effective leader once he overcomes his ego. I see signs of that already.
George Georgis
Teed off against the LPGA
Bronx: Using any Trump property for a sport event makes it political. Could the LPGA not find a golf course in the tri-state area without the Trump brand? The female golfers have refused to make any political statements because they are there “just to play golf.” Just by playing there you have made a statement. I won’t be watching or rooting for anyone. Beverly Brodowsky
Bridge to the future
Woodside: Re: “Baby funds in elex fight” (July 16): It is obvious that Peter Koo’s opponent — whose sole qualification for running for office is that her husband is a politician — is so opposed to the services that Bridge to Life provides to families because she knows nothing about basic services. Bridge is a wonderful organization that helps families in need and the poorest of the poor. What a pity that any politician would attack Bridge without at least visiting or speaking to the women whom Bridge has helped with basic supplies for infants. In a city that is beholden to the racist organization known as Planned Parenthood, which does nothing to promote healthy alternatives to women in crisis, Bridge and other similar organizations are a beacon of hope. Pro-abortion and pro-death groups must stop this slander of vital services.
Alice Lemos
A crossed word
Valley Stream, L.I.: The answer for 12 down July 11 Crossword 2: I have never heard of, or could find an example of a “Ball Teen Hammer.” It’s “Ball Peen.” Am I incorrect? I believe a crossword compositional error was made.
Richard Goldstein
More parking placard abuse
Brooklyn: I wrote two weeks ago about a traffic agent who had the “no parking” signs replaced with “no standing signs.” The result was my neighbors with disabilities could no longer use the spots, and instead cars with NYPD parking placards use the spots. DOT reduced the no parking, but the signs are the same. So, cars with NYPD parking placards are still the only ones using the parking spots. When will the city stop this crap with the parking? Enough is enough. We need someone in government to give us back our parking spaces and take away the so often abused parking placards. Greg Ahl
A holy man
JOHN HICKEY Middle Village: Re “Priest served as keeper of ‘Ground Zero Cross’ ” (July 9): Thank you for publishing this inspiring article in your paper. This was so refreshing for me to read. I applaud Father Brian Jordan’s reverence and service on behalf of our fallen heroes. We need to read more of these uplifting words to balance out all the negativity we are bombarded with every day.
Sharon M. Czelusniak
Labor’s full Spectrum
Manhattan: For months I’ve been watching the strikers at the Spectrum store on 96th St. and Broadway. Both my wife and I took the time to talk to them. It would seem that Spectrum is trying to break the union. Several of the strikers said that TV news won’t cover them because most TV broadcasting in New York goes through Spectrum, except for a small part that Verizon and satellite TV carries. Have you seen any publicity about this very long strike? I haven’t. Spectrum is intent on breaking the union and it seems successful. This is a crying shame. As a former Verizon employee, and having been on strike several times myself, I find this whole thing deplorable.
John Cunningham