Letters to the Editor - 10-08-09

Wrong time for SSHS spending

To the Editor:

It is with complete disgust, but no surprise, that I read the recent story about the plans for South Side High School, “Multi-million rehab proposed for SSHS” (Oct. 1-7). My initial reaction was, What planet are these people on?

To undertake a $35 million renovation in the midst of the worst economic times since the Great Depression further cements the fact that the school administration and school board in Rockville Centre have no sense at all of ever paying attention to the economic realities of the times. In an era of retrenchment and fiscal conservatism, the attitude of the school’s administrators is to spend, spend and spend some more.

Whatever happened to the idea that we may not have exactly what we need but we’ll make it work? That goes out the window when you give the pen to people who don’t demonstrate having a clue about the need to cut costs. What is even more incredible and insulting is the attitude that this is a good time to do it because interest rates are lower. That is a slap in the face to people who have had to take drastic measures to avoid losing homes and savings and the many more of us who have had to forego raises, bonuses and other income to help our companies stay viable in this climate.

Furthermore, I have no confidence at all in the school administration’s ability or desire to manage a long-term project on time and on budget. That is evidenced by the quote of $33 million to $35 million for the project but a $185-per-year increase in taxes on a $40 million bond issue. That tells me that the sky will be the limit once this gets started. This will be on top of what school Superintendent Dr. William Johnson will almost certainly propose in a makeup year after a relatively soft increase of 2 percent in the school tax last year, and the repercussions from their fellow tax-and-spend people in Washington and Albany when their excesses come due. All of this will further make people feel that Long Island, despite its many treasures, is increasingly becoming the Wrong Island to live on.

Brendan J. Cahalan

Rockville Centre

Disturbed by water hike, and its rationale

To the Editor:

I was quite disturbed when I read about the water rate increase of 17.5 percent (“Village increases water rate,” Sept. 24-30). This is on top of the increase from last year, which was 16.5 percent. So in two years, we’ve been hit with a 34 percent increase in our water bill. No one but Trustee Kevin Glynn has raised a voice against this?

What disturbed me as much as the increase were the reasons for it, the first of which was that people were conserving. Isn’t that what we’re supposed to be doing? So, for doing the right thing, we are now being punished.

The second reason was that “Mother Nature” didn’t act according to the projections. When has it? You’re not supposed to budget for the maximum amount of money you will take in, you’re supposed to budget for the lowest.

National Grid and many other companies do the same thing. If winter weather is warmer than expected, you get a weather surcharge. These companies, and now our own water utility, don’t have a bottom line because they have the taxpayer.

Shame on you, Michael Schussheim. And shame on the other four board members for letting it happen.

Mike Davey

Rockville Centre

Government is running amok

To the Editor:

Now let me get this straight. Village trustees voted to increase water rates by 17.5 percent, reasoning that due to the wet summer, we the taxpayers didn’t use enough water, therefore the revenues were down. Did I miss something? When we had summers when drought conditions caused us to use additional water, were water rates reduced by 17.5 percent? I think not!

It seems that the village board is using the same flawed logic as the deceptive Obama administration. Tax all of us whether we do or don’t cut down on water consumption, fossil fuels, certain food and drink items, certain vehicles, and everything that passes wind in the night.

As I recall, President Obama said, “No family earning less than $250,000 will see their taxes increased.” Obviously he didn’t square that statement with Mayor Mary Bossart, or any other state, county or local municipality.

God only knows how much more we will be taxed if any of the “proposed” health care bills are passed, not to mention the cap-and-trade proposal that lurks in the murky shadows of Capitol Hill.

Considering all that, politicians still can’t (or won’t) get it through their heads why the people of this country have joined together in Tea Parties across the nation, and organized a million-plus mass march on Washington — taxation without representation.

The water rate hike in Rockville Centre is emblematic of how governments at all levels are running amok. Politicians throughout America can expect many more Tea Parties to come if their excessive taxation and arrogance continues.

Mickey Clark

Rockville Centre

Randi’s on target about right-wing nuts

To the Editor:

It’s often hard for me to empathize with Randi Kreiss because she is so wistful about the wonderful ’60s. I spent 18 months of the ’60s in the vacationland of Southeast Asia, where if it moved in the dark, you killed it. However, when it comes to right-wing nuts (“Political wing nuts grab all the headlines,” Sept. 10-16), she’s right on target.

I can respectfully disagree with the conservative who says that he already has too much government in his life and he wants less, not more. I can have a polite debate when he says he puts his trust in corporate CEOs and Wall Street financiers rather than officials who have to be re-elected and the bureaucrats who are responsible to them. I would point out that ACORN did not get a black eye. It got a knock-out punch. Congressmen from both sides of the aisle responded to citizens’ righteous anger that ACORN blatantly disregarded its responsibilities. But no one got a bonus or a golden parachute. This is all part of ordinary American politics, which has centered on the discourse between big government versus small government that started with Jefferson and Hamilton.

But when you show up at a town hall meeting with your neighbors carrying a gun, you don’t have ordinary politics on your mind. You are having other thoughts. And I know what they are.

I used to carry a gun.

Ed Thorp

Rockville Centre