Letters to the Editor: East Rockaway, Lynbrook

Car show fundraiser was a hit

To the Editor:
On Aug. 1, we held our annual fundraiser during the East Rockaway Classic Car show. This year we raised money for multiple sclerosis.
Although the weather wasn’t the best, there was a decent turnout of cars and spectators, and more than $1,000 was raised.

I would like to thank everyone who participated in the Chinese auction and 50/50 raffle, and all those who donated items for the raffle. Thank you, Ken “Kojak” Rappaport for spinning the great tunes that evening.
A special thanks goes to Collision Depot in Oceanside for sponsoring this event, and for sponsoring every show during the summer for the past five years. Thank you to Mayor Bruno Romano and the village board for allowing me to conduct this event every Monday night through the summer for the past six years.
I will be accepting donations to go to MS for another week. If anyone is interested, contact me at (516) 428-4917. Our last car show for the season is Aug. 29 in the parking lot next to the post office — so come down and say hello!

Rich Cittadino
Car show coordinator

At odds with defeating corruption?

To the Editor:

State Sen. Todd Kaminsky proclaims in last week’s Herald that he’s on a quest to defeat political corruption in New York state (“If it smells like corruption ...”). ut some of his positions seem at odds with that goal.
It seems absurd, for instance, that Kaminsky would cosponsor a limit on non-campaign donation “gifts” of $3,000 for New York state politicians who work for a salary, which should suffice as their remuneration. Even if such “gifts” were sworn not to be in compensation for special favors (as if such admission would really be made!) the gifts could still be offered on behalf of others, surreptitiously.
The best “limit” would be zero dollars, as this would not leave the door open, even part way, to the temptation for official misdeeds. $3,000 is a substantial sum in the eyes of everyday working people, so why not bring this proposal more in line with their perspective, and with Kaminsky’s own stated objective?
He has also adamantly refused to return, or even to place into escrow, some $50,000 that he received as a campaign donation — money allegedly tied to Mayor Bill de Blasio’s campaign financing, which is still under investigation. That seems to defy common sense, and smacks of the kind of political arrogance from which corruption may stem. Optics count, and Kaminsky should understand that.

Robert Rubalsky
East Rockaway