Bring back old Penn’s full glory

Madison, N.J.: Gov. Cuomo’s goal for Penn Station apparently is to leave Madison Square Garden in place but to use space created by demolishing the 5,600-seat Hulu Theater that sits under the Garden to create a glass wall on the station’s Eighth Ave. facade. Glass kiosks on Seventh Ave. and midblock would bring in natural light. The needs and potential of Penn Station, the busiest transportation hub in the Western Hemisphere, can never be realized as long as the station is compressed under a sports and entertainment facility. Public safety, pedestrian circulation and more complete access to natural light are all compromised by Madison Square Garden’s continued presence. An appropriate location for a new Garden needs to be found.

The Vishaan Chakrabarti proposal to sheathe Madison Square Garden in glass, convert it to a train station and admirably open the track levels to natural light, mentioned in the April 12 Nick Sifuentes Op-Ed, “The moment to rethink Penn,” would not fully realize Penn Station’s potential.

The best proposal is to rebuild the original iconic 1910 Beaux-Arts Penn Station, which was inexplicably torn down in 1963. The station could be rebuilt on the existing original foundations using modern, more cost-effective construction techniques with appropriate upgrades for expanding train and pedestrian traffic. The broad economic benefits, esthetics and brand of a Grand Central Terminal, Washington’s Union Station and Denver’s Union Station — the original Penn’s architectural peers — would immediately attach to the district.

New York will never get the inspired station and quality of life it deserves to serve its populace and to compete with international financial centers London, Paris, Hong Kong and Tokyo as long as Madison Square Garden sits atop the station. A transformative resurrection of the original Penn Station would redefine urban renewal and serve as an important symbol of resiliency for the New York metropolitan region throughout the world.

Samuel A. Turvey, chair, Steering Committee to Rebuild Penn Station

Tax tip

Hollis: If the governor and state Legislature wish to provide some relief to New York State residents from the effects of the new federal tax law, they should pass legislation allowing residents to deduct all state and local taxes and all medical expenses incurred commencing with the 2018 tax year. Richard P. Lerner

Tax time terror

East Hartford, Conn.: The only thing I hate worse than tax season is advertising that glorifies tax refunds and what people are doing with them, like vacation trips, new furniture, etc., which is all fine and dandy if you’re actually getting a refund. I can only dream of such things. I haven’t seen a refund on my taxes for over 10 years and thinking about preparing taxes guarantees me an anxiety attack or worse. I cannot understand the whole tax system and can find no one willing to help me prepare my taxes or answer the simplest of questions without charging me an arm or a leg. I’m left at the mercy of a system I have no power over and have no choice whatsoever. Where’s the help for people like me? Jim Miller

Rush to judgment

Manhattan: Recently, a juror in former Assemblyman Sheldon Silver’s trial revealed that he did not believe Silver was guilty of the charges against him and initially voted for his innocence during jury deliberations. He said that he changed his vote to guilty only after being pressured by his 11 fellow jurors who were convinced of Silver’s guilt, not because he really believed Silver had been proven guilty. Is this really what our judicial system is supposed to be about? In the future, perhaps jurors can be required to render their votes on a case by secret ballot to avoid this kind of psychological pressure inflicted on a lone holdout. Chana Schwartz

Heated suicide

Brooklyn: Thank you for recognizing climate change as the central issue behind the suicide of David Buckel. The New York Times, NPR, CNN, etc., have focused on his career as LGBTQ lawyer, effectively sidestepping his stated reason for immolation. I live near the site and cannot process what occurred there. Please prioritize reporting on climate change, and what we can do to stop it.

Meredith Kaufman Younger

Trump couldn’t care less

Lyndhurst, N.J.: Voicer Peter Gryzmolowicz’s disparate diatribe about what he cares about, and how much he doesn’t care about Stormy Daniels, is quite laughable. He says he cares about the taxes he pays but says nothing about the billionaire and corporate tax break that was just passed, leaving the rest of us, the 98%, in the cold. He says he cares about the moral degradation of society. But the morally degenerate, racist, misogynist xenophobe in the White House gets a pass? He says he cares about affordable health care, yet one of the very first things Trump did was try to dismantle the Affordable Care Act. He says he cares about polluted air and dirty water, yet the head of the EPA, Scott Pruitt, has taken steps to dismantle regulations that protect clean air and water. He says he cares about illegal immigrants — invaders, he says — destroying our country. Given his surname, he has a lot of nerve disparaging immigrants. The things that he cares about are the very things Trump is destroying. Gina Finocchio

Accessing solutions

Brooklyn: What a surprise to read your April 8 editorial about the problems with Access-A-Ride, “Give all the Zeldas a break.” The next day I received a call from Ken Stuart of Access-A-Ride. He asked a good number of pertinent questions in an effort to give attention to the problems. He and his colleagues are working to improve whatever is wrong, and I believe he will do the best he can so those of us who ride will do so more comfortably, and, hopefully, on time! He was kind enough to give me a special phone number to use in the event I have a problem. As for Voicer Batya Lewton’s suggestion to take green or black car, I have been offered those vouchers but am not able to use them as I cannot get into those cars due to my severe osteoarthritis. Zelda Multz

Hidden highs

Brooklyn: I have a suggestion for those who complain about blacks and Hispanics being arrested for smoking marijuana. How about they simply stop smoking in public! You don’t want to be arrested, don’t break the law! It’s that simple. Mike Lopez

Sober Council judgment

Manhattan: Keeping with their ubernanny agenda, the City Council should ban alcohol in bars. Vincent Grasso

Speaking back

Manhattan: As a longtime reader, first-time Voicer, I am writing in response to your April 14 editorial, “What’s fare is fair.” The editorial incorrectly claims that the Council has no “appetite to reduce real spending.” As City Council speaker, that’s not the case. In our response to Mayor de Blasio’s preliminary budget, the Council identified $142 million in areas where agencies could operate more efficiently. We know that’s not enough, which is why I have called for the administration to institute programs that would require city agencies to reduce spending. As an added precautionary measure, the Council is calling for an extra $500 million in reserves. I was disappointed by these omissions, but agree with your overall assessment — the city should fund Fair Fares MetroCards for low-income New Yorkers and find some relief for homeowners and tenants. When it comes to the big picture, we are on the same page.

Corey Johnson

ACLU double standards

Cortlandt Manor, N.Y.: If anyone has any doubt left that the American Civil Liberties Union is a partisan, hard-left political organization, they need look no further than the raid on Michael Cohen’s office in support of the at-any-cost effort to take down President Trump. If this had happened to Hillary Clinton, the ACLU would be defending her to the ends of the Earth.

Michael P. Devine

Nix on Nixon

PATRICIA MELVIN Manhattan: New York State is in great shape and all is well here. Despite Mayor de Blasio’s ineptness, New York City’s railroads are on an upswing thanks to Andrew Cuomo’s leadership, which is now being challenged by an inexperienced, self-centered outsider. Cynthia Nixon knows that New York is in good shape. Her selfish, self-centered desire to be somebody now that she has not been able to get work since “Sex and the City” has ended its run is the only reason she is trying to be governor of New York. Ms. Nixon, if you really do care about New York, end this charade and let our governor do his job.

Gary DiMora