Long Beach Letters to the Editor

Union rat scares kids

To the Editor:
The union rat, a larger-than-life, angry-looking blow-up doll with a festering stomach, has been making scary appearances near Long Beach elementary schools. So that means there must be a union dispute somewhere.
First, some months ago, it was on city property, at the firehouse near West School. This week it was parked off Park Avenue with a sign reading “Shame on Lindell Ave. School.” Erecting the giant rat is a form of protest a union will use when they feel that contractors should not hire outside the union. Unfortunately, this not only harasses the intended parties, but the general public and innocent bystanders — such as children, who are afraid of it. It looks like a monster. Everybody I talked to, from City Hall to local parents, agrees that it's an eyesore and inappropriate.

Certainly these issues can be resolved in court or by arbitrators without ugly aggressive advertising that makes kindergartners cling to Mommy's leg. Furthermore, the sign meant to shame the school certainly doesn’t present a fair image to those passing through or visiting our city. It sends a very negative message.
Surely disgruntled parties have the right to exercise their freedom of speech. But when doing so could possibly violate another's civil rights — such as the children who are frightened by it, or the reputation of the school district which can't defend itself fairly at that moment — then we must reconsider whose “rights” are right.
I think we need pest control. The rat should have to present its case and file for permits, just like anyone else who wants to use city property, especially when it isn’t an attribute to the community.
Dessie Cummings
Long Beach

Consolidation should be considered

To the Editor:
Regarding Scott Brinton's column “How the county exec can beat high property taxes” (Nov. 19-25): If we got rid of Nassau County's 57 school superintendents, we would save about $14.25 million annually. There are patronage jobs in each school district, so that's no argument.
If you legalized basement apartments, you'd start getting young people with lots of children,who will need classroom space and additional teachers. Instead of having more money to pay for the ever-increasing school tax, we would have to pay more taxes for the additional students.
If you are worried about property values, they only stay high because we are segregated by income.
The New York City school chancellor runs a system with 1.1 million children and earns less than one Nassau school superintendent. We don't have a million kids among all 57 school districts.
The old system is broke or going broke. Try something new to fix it.

Larry Cohen
Valley Stream


A trial location idea

To the Editor:
Re Randi Kreiss’s column “By all means, try the alleged 9/11 terrorist in N.Y.” (Nov. 19-25): Why not try them in the field in Pennsylvania that Flight 93 crashed into? There, it would be a fitting memorial to those brave people who saved so many from being killed. We could build a temporary building to house them and the court, and a gallows right outside their window so they could contemplate Paradise.
It would save a lot of the $75 million that security would cost in New York City.

Larry Cohen
Valley Stream