Rockville Centre Letters to the Editor

What happened to RVC?

To the Editor:

I have resided in Rockville Centre for 61 years. Has anyone else who has lived here for any length of time noticed a difference in the services as our taxes continue to rise?

There was a time not that long ago when you raked leaves in a pile in the street and the village would come along at scheduled intervals and pick them up. When the green lamp posts needed painting, or if a light bulb was out on a street lamp, the village would identify it and fix it. Now, if a resident doesn’t call about it, doesn’t get done. Even if a resident does call, like I have more than, once it doesn’t get done.

Something else that disturbs me: Why do I have to pay a $125 permit fee if I am replacing a run of fencing, while I’m paying more than $23,000 in taxes? Aren’t part of my taxes paying for the guy to look at the paperwork? I don’t get it!

What do we get in this town for the taxes we pay?

As for the pool, this is a no-brainer, and might be the worst idea I’ve heard in years. First of all, who’s going to pay for a claim if someone breaks their neck jumping into the pool? Should I just add that to my taxes now? Who’s paying that lawsuit? Who’s paying for the ringworm, the conjunctivitis and all the other maladies you can get swimming in a public pool where people urinate in the water? Think about that when you want to take a nice dip on a summer day.

Who’s paying for the employees, the construction, the maintenance, the carcinogens that are produced from chlorine and the general mayhem from people who can’t behave themselves? People will sue now for any reason at any time. When I think of a pool in the village, I see one big cash register, and we, as residents, will be the ones opening it up and handing out the cash.

Burton Diamond

Rockville Centre