Veterans vs. Cuomo

G eniuses at the state Department of Transportation found a novel way to deal with complaints that the American flag wasn’t flying high along a Rochester highway: They removed the flagpoles.

The move came as thousands of veterans were headed to the city this week for an American Legion conference. Jerry Lamb, a Vietnam vet, fumed about the flags’ removal, saying he was “disgusted” by it. The flags were “the pride of the city,” he said.

Vets had complained that the state wasn’t regularly flying the flag on I-490. Yet rather than apologize and fix the problem, DOT just took down the poles, citing “safety” as its excuse. (That’ll teach folks to gripe.) In the end, though, the agency proved it

can be shamed, after all: After public embarrassment and pressure, it backtracked and vowed to restore the flags.

The sorry tale offers lessons: First, that New Yorkers had better be careful when they complain to state government. Second, pressure can get an agency like DOT to reverse itself.

There’s even a tip here for the Federal Highway Administration, which for years has been trying to get Gov. Cuomo to take down illegal “I ♥ NY” signs on state highways. It says they’re a dangerous distraction for motorists.

The agency docked the state $14 million for failing to remove them but offered to fork over the money if Cuomo pulls them down by September. Trouble is, Cuomo cares little about taxpayer money, so who knows if he’ll comply?

Yet DOT just proved it knows how to take down structures on highways. Maybe the FHA should call in some vets . . .