Great barrier rift
Pros & cons of a border wall
Dear John: Ever play King of the Mountain?
If you’re really strong, you can ward off challengers for a long time, maybe forever if there’s never a superior force. Walls are just like that.
At the very least, they really slow things down. If necessary, they give the defenders time to reinforce the area. Plus, history — and maybe even your neighborhood — show people like walls. Gated community, anyone? So how are walls no good? N.C.
Dear N.C. Walls are no good when they will cost upward of $30 billion and the people you are trying to keep out have a knack for digging extensive tunnels.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m fully in favor of keeping out illegals. And it’s not just an issue of crime. It’s an economic issue.
We need immigrants. But we need immigrants that can contribute to our society — ones who will get jobs, pay taxes and bolster Social Security.
We don’t need people sneaking into the country who are inclined to work off the books and take positions that people here legally want to fill.
About the tunnels: I have information about some of them. And it’s not good. They are highways into the US.
Given all that, what should we do at the border?
Something else. Something cheaper. Something more hightech.
Ideally, we would help countries south of our border so that people won’t want to immigrate illegally to the US. I know that’ll cost money. But probably not nearly as much as the wall.
Dear John: I have an issue with NYC Department of Finance.
After terminating autopay with the department for payment of property taxes, $19,564.40 was still taken from my checking account.
The bank statement shows a debit of this amount on 7/2/18, by “NYC DOF NYCPropTax.” My actual property tax amount is $2,227.63, and that was paid by check and received by the Finance Department on or about June 21.
This amount and payment received is reflected on the department’s tax payment history for the property.
However, the amount debited is not reflected anywhere on the property’s tax payment history.
No one at the Finance Department’s Queens location has been able to help me or provide a reason why this was done or where the money went. Basically, the money was stolen from the checking account.
Is there any way you can help me or, at the very least, set me off in the right direction and put me in contact with someone who will actually resolve this? Thank you! L.B. Dear L.B. No problem. I called the Department of Finance, and they tracked down your money, which — I’m told — was credited to the wrong account. Troubleshooting this took the city months, but you have your money back.
“Problem fixed” is how you related the solution to me.