Rockville Centre Herald

Letters to the Editor

Posted

Parking increase is a bad idea

To the Editor:

As a business owner who will celebrate 10 years in Rockville Centre next month, I have seen many changes in the village over that period.

Parking was, and always will be, a contentious topic here in Rockville Centre. The current mayor has made great strides in that area, capping the meters at 6 p.m. and now giving us the month of December that, in the parking lots, will be free after 11 a.m. That is greatly appreciated.

The new proposal that will institute a muni-meter system, and also raise the rates, is a mistake. It will drive more retail business away. People have enough issues with parking here. This will add another step, more fees and more outrage. Retail business is not increasing in the village, so we need more incentives for retail to succeed.

A village-wide, late-night shopping day or more grant money to help beautify the downtown area of the village are two ideas. Another idea to raise revenue is to keep the meters and rates the same, but extend the parking meter time until 7 p.m. The extra hour might make up for the proposed increase in rates. Lynbrook just updated their parking meters to give shoppers five more minutes for free, just by pushing a button on the meter. This good will encourages more people to stay and shop in their village. That kind of thinking is what we need more of here in RVC!

Bruce Mirkin

Accent on Eyes

In defense of the Tea Party

To the Editor:

I was disappointed to read the letter in last week’s Herald from Rockville Centre resident Frank Gordon regarding the RVC Tea Party Patriots participating in the St. Patrick’s Parade (“No politics at the parade”). His comment that we were an “…obstructionist group with a political agenda” is nonsense.

I can’t speak for every Tea Party group, but let’s set the record straight about ours. The Rockville Centre Tea Party Patriots were organized four years ago as a patriotic, non-partisan civic organization. We are a dedicated group of people who have lined the streets holding flags honoring fallen heroes as their funeral processions drove by. We planted a tree and installed a bronze plaque in our Village Green honoring the victims of 9-11. We have protested the installation of a garbage incinerator in the town of Freeport which would have had a negative ripple effect on the quality of life for residents here in our own village. We protested the erection of a 15-story mosque across the street from the World Trade Center site, and most recently promoted a half dozen job fairs for our struggling neighbors looking for work.

All of those were civic in nature and done out of respect for our community. Yes, our members are mad as hell about high property taxes, we reject politicians who ignore us and we don’t want government-run health care. We are simply an organized group of local residents who want to improve the quality of life for all of us.

Nevertheless, 50 of your friends and neighbors set aside their time to honor Irish tradition and march respectfully in a parade that we hold dear. The organizers of the parade selflessly raise money for wonderful charities that we also financially support. I can understand Mr. Gordon’s concern for the integrity of the parade, and respect his good intentions in writing his letter. But I would ask Mr. Gordon, what have you done for your community lately?

It’s a shame that Tea Party groups all over America have been labeled as a bunch of right-wing radicals by ignorant people and a mainstream media that distorts and twists its reporting to suit its agendas. I invite anyone to join us at one of our monthly meetings to learn what we are about. Perhaps then you will understand what we stand for.

Bryan Korman

Rockville Centre Tea Party Patriots co-organizer