Don’t forget who federal assistance comes from
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Naples, Fla.: It caught my eye when Voicer Daniris Espinal wrote of her luck in getting a federal Emergency Housing Voucher and housing by New Destiny. But nowhere did she thank the taxpayers, one of whom is me. We funded these fine programs that allowed her to rebuild the lives of her family and to heal. There is no free money, housing or food. I was in a similar situation, but my working six to seven days a week (sometimes) helped get my children and me out of poverty and into a stable and safe situation. With my scrimping to pay for day care and a kindergarten where I taught one day a week to keep my youngest in school while I worked without child support, after many years I became fairly successful. I got no handouts nor sought any. I knew our democracy could not survive if I (and millions of others) took free anything unless it was necessary. My country didn’t come first, but its health was right up there.
Having traveled worldwide after writing and selling 1 million healthy cookbooks, democracy isn’t always fair, but it’s the best there is. What I don’t appreciate are those who take but don’t need it, like the guy at my gym who’s on disability but powerlifts five days a week. I want there to be useful programs and help for many who are desperate. I was lucky too, hired by those who gave me a chance. I want to thank all those who voluntarily give to such charities, those whose taxes pay for these programs, and those who institute and man them. And to remind all of us, they aren’t free. Lynn Fischer
Robbing Peter to pay Paul
Clark, N.J.: With “Congestion pricing countdown” (editorial, March 2), the Editorial Board endorses the MTA in its redistribution of wealth. Somehow, the socialist brave new world has come to define “responsible” as making automobile drivers, livery services and delivery people pay for buses and trains that they will never use. Never fear — the MTA will doggedly redistribute the wealth that you actually don’t have.
William T. Fidurski
Pay up
Orange, Conn.: Voicer Talia Antinucci is angry that since she has not paid her outstanding tolls, her car registration has been suspended and her car has been impounded at a cost of $100 per day. If you paid the toll when billed (usually a few dollars), you would have never been in this predicament — your fault! You’re part of the reason for the financial shortfall of the system.
Fred Portoff
Weak response
Brooklyn: Of late, there has been a tremendous spike in crime in the subway. The powers that be at the state and city levels say the same thing: Most of the crimes are perpetrated by individuals with mental problems. That seems to be the excuse for giving them a mere slap on the wrist for committing acts of violence. No one mentions the physical and emotional trauma, as well as the financial impact, on the victims. When will the city and state wake up, enforce the law and address the needs of victims?
Melissa Lieberman
Secure the gates
Brooklyn: To reduce subway crime, just install the barred, floorto-ceiling turnstiles they already have in unmanned stations. Subway malefactors don’t pay to get on the trains. They jump those easy-to-leap turnstiles. Also, exit doors should be installed with release mechanisms that only open with a subway card swipe. If these two easy remedies would be utilized, subway crime would be decreased tremendously. This is common sense, so rarely found in people in authority.
Perry Greenberg
Smarter than jail
Manhattan: Like Melanie Hartzog (“Save youngsters from prison; save lives & money,” op-ed, March 5), I have been witness to the great virtues of alternative to incarceration (ATI) programs. Youngsters on Rikers Island become more alienated, less able to adjust to society. In ATI programs, they confront their misdeeds and, in a supportive environment, are shown options and opportunities. ATI can save angry, dislocated youngsters, while jail feeds the negativity. It would also lessen victimization. If none of that matters to the Adams administration, which has slashed funding for ATI programs, it would be cost-efficient to become acquainted with those that exist around NYC. No one has explained the estimated cost of $500,000 per year per individual to be maintained on Rikers Island.
Wasted money, wasted lives. David Rothenberg
Principally responsible
Brooklyn: What is going on at Origin High School? Students seem to be roaming around hurling antisemitic remarks and drawing swastikas all over the building (“Principal defended,” March 6). The acting principal needs to be immediately removed, along with members of the Department of Education for their failure to do anything regarding this outrage. Bigotry has no place in society, especially in schools where religious toleration needs to be stressed. Where is the UFT in this matter? They are probably too busy organizing petitions against congestion pricing and endorsing removing retired city workers from traditional Medicare to a Medicare Advantage Plan. Councilwoman Inna Vernikov is to be lauded for her attempts to do something. She is certainly an asset to the community she serves.
Ed Greenspan
Top picks
Ottawa, Canada: It is almost certain that former President Donald Trump will be the Republican nominee. Should he win on Nov. 5, he should offer Nikki Haley the secretary of state cabinet position. She is well suited, being United States ambassador to the United Nations from January 2017 to December 2018. I also firmly feel that Vivek Ramaswamy should be Trump’s vice presidential nominee. Anant Nagpur
Mere hyperbole
Manhattan: Trump said he would be a “dictator” on Day 1, primarily to issue executive orders in favor of drilling and of completing the wall. That’s it. Over and out. He did not say he was going to be a dictator for the whole four years of his term. This is the way he talks. Listen more carefully and don’t take his every word literally (and many of President Biden’s executive orders do seem dictatorial, such as killing the Keystone XL Pipeline on his Day 1).
Nancy Brenner
Scandalous
Bronx: It is apparent that a blatant double standard still exists in this so-called democratic country. All the Trump-loving hypocrites need to ask themselves one question: If President Barack Obama had committed all of the atrocious acts done by President Donald Trump, would the Supreme Court, Congress, the lower courts and Democrats have supported him? The other question: Which prison would he be in? Alfred Williams
More to come
Brooklyn: We should not be upset about the recent ruling (“Supremes give Trump an elex win,” March 5). Until a person is convicted, they are innocent. Period. The real test will come if a president does or does not have immunity. If he does not and is tried and convicted, that will be the real test of our democracy.
Vito Labella
Sound reasoning
Malverne, L.I.: Re the unanimous decision by the Supreme Court, I would like to say thank you. The decision vindicated my response to the Colorado Supreme Court’s foolish attempt to usurp the American people and remove Trump from the ballot, a total overreach. Moreover, they mentioned some of my points about the 14th Amendment and how it should be applied. To Voicer Michele P. Brown, who I had hoped to respond to but missed the opportunity: Sorry, Michele. However, your point about Congress delegating its authority was one of the staples in their decision. Well done! Unfortunately, many mainstream media outlets, pundits and so-called legal scholars were wrong in their talking points. It is unfortunate that these people speak with such authority.
David Kalin
Dirty digging
Bronx: Brett Di Resta’s attempt to elevate the aims of opposition research falls short (“George Santos and opposition research,” op-ed, March 4). It is not a high-minded activity. It is a manufacture of ammunition paid for by rivals seeking to find vulnerabilities, however flimsy, to injure their opponents. Let’s be real. There is little that is ennobling in an enterprise whose primary mission is to seek and destroy. Oppo research will always be the illegitimate son of solid investigative reporting.
Fred Smith
The Vermont man facing a felony charge in connection with the crash that killed “Everwood” actor Treat Williams last year pleaded guilty Friday to a reduced charge of negligent driving resulting in death.
Ryan Koss, 35, was driving a Honda Element that collided with Williams, who was riding his motorcycle in Dorset on June 12.
Williams, 71, was “unable to avoid a collision and was thrown from his motorcycle,” according to Vermont State Police. He suffered critical injuries in the crash and was later pronounced dead at the Albany Medical Center in New York.
After an investigation concluded the Honda Element pulled in front of Williams’ motorcycle, Koss was hit with a felony charge of gross negligent operation resulting in death.
Koss, an actor and theater director who knew Williams for years and said he considered him a friend, initially argued he was “confident the facts [would] show I obeyed all relevant traffic laws.”
In September he pleaded not guilty to the felony charge. If convicted, he could have faced up to 15 years in prison.
But on Friday, Koss pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of negligent driving resulting in death and was handed a one-year deferred sentence. His driver’s license will be revoked as part of his probation, and he will need to complete a community restorative justice program.
“I’m here to apologize and take responsibility for this tragic accident,” Koss told the court Friday during an emotional hearing.
Williams’ 32-year-old son, Gill, wearing his father’s jacket, spoke to Koss directly, saying he had forgiven him and hoped Koss could forgive himself.
But he added, “I really wish you hadn’t killed my father. I really had to say that.”
Williams’ daughter, who didn’t attend the hearing, said in a statement read in court that she is still too angry to forgive Koss, but hopes one day she’ll be able to do so.
“I will never get to feel my father’s hug again, be able to get his advice again, introduce him to my future husband, have him walk me down the aisle, introduce him to my babies, and have him cry when I name my first son after him,” her statement read.