Letters To The Editor
Email: editor@ gcnews.com

Committee Has Agenda

To the Editor,

I read, with declining interest, the latest column from the "Citizen's Budget Review Committee." It seems that the agenda of this committee is not to present accurate facts, but to column after column convince the readers to "outsource" the government services that we currently have control over and report statistical "negatives" without accurately explaining them.

The current column both infers and implies that other villages have less percentage costs by creating "special districts." Thank God Garden City does not have a special water, library, sanitation or park district with district commissioners and additional layers of bureaucracy! Newsday called them "taxpayer funded clubs!"

The column is misleading because it doesn't report that Long Island has six times as many villages and school dis-tricts and five times as many fire districts as the rest of New York State. The average village in New York State has 2,817 residents while Nassau has 7,023 residents and Garden City has over 21,000! Some of those per capita costs that the little villages like Kensington have are discounted by use of County services which we choose not to have. Quite frankly, I love to see that blue and white police car drive up 60 seconds after I call! I love to drive around without looking at garbage cans! I love a tree replacement program! I am willing to pay for that! That's why I live here!

Just for starters, Long Island local government costs all of us on Long Island - not just Garden City - 26% more per capita than the rest of the State just because of where we are and the density of our population. . . and Garden City doesn't have those "fat cat" special district commissioners.

I have a book entitled "How to Lie With Statistics" that has a chapter on how to stir things up by using statistical numbers that are accurate reportings of irrelevant facts.

If our tax base is Real Property, why is that a bad thing? It is a known, solid base, not an intangible. Yes, my taxes will go up when spending goes up. That is a fact of life. So, Committee, assuming that fact, what are the other revenue sources you suggest other that controlling spending by "outsourcing"? What should it be changed to ... perhaps a local income or sales tax? Would we make that much more money if we put up $300,000.00 worth of parking meters at $.50 per hour like the Village of Hempstead just did? Should we raise dog license fees to cover budget gaps? Get real! There is no wild and woolly scandalous overspending in our village. Find the balance between what can be accepted as taxes and what we have grown to expect as a quality of life.

I suggest the Committee review the successes of Garden City, the Infrastructure Replacement Program mandated by the Trustees, the Enterprise Revenue Funds that run the pool and tennis courts, the current Village Employees who have been Presidents of local and statewide professional organizations, the Budget Awards, Safety Awards and Special Recognition our Village receives annually for the way things are run . . . and the constant monitoring of the quality of our water. Compare these things and see how nice it is to have concerned property owners who enjoy participatory government.

I haven't even touched on our National Schools of Excellence.

While it may be a nice exercise for some people to form a committee to snipe, carp and report misleading statistics in an effort to change things, sometimes it's a good thing to look at what we have, look at what others have, sit back and reflect upon it and thank God that it all works so very well for so very long.

Fine-tuning something is always good, but "outsourcing" destroys lives, relationships and entire ways of life. Garden City is not a corporation on the verge of Chapter 11 bankruptcy that must be reformed and reorganized. I like our way of life. Stop and smell the roses before you replace them with less costly cactuses.

Allen S. Mathers

Hearing On Track Expansion

Printed By Request:

Hon. Eliot Spitzer

Governor of New York

Dear Governor Spitzer:

I am writing regarding a hearing which will take place on September 20, 2007 regarding the rail-freight project which will have an impact on the MTA's Third Track expansion.

Given that this project will have a real impact on the Third Track, opposed by many Nassau County residents, I find it inappropriate this hearing be held at a place and time (Suffolk Community College's Brentwood Campus beginning at 4:00 p.m.) which makes it nearly impossible for Nassau residents to attend.

Hearings on any and all projects which can have an effect on the Third Track should be held in Nassau County so more residents will have an opportunity to attend. As this project will have an effect on the Third Track expansion proposal, I am requesting the State hold hearings in the communities which this will affect (specifically Bellerose, Floral Park, New Hyde Park, Garden City Park, Garden City, Carle Place, Mineola and Hicksville).

Thank you for your consideration and attention to this matter. I look forward to a reply from your office.

Kemp Hannon

Member of the Senate

Sixth District

Beautification Needed

To The Editor:

As a resident of Garden City for 59 years I read with interest the August 13 front page article concerning the significant changes on Seventh Street. Despite the discarded trash, cigarettes and chewing gum, it is a lively, friendly place to shop.

What is needed now is improvement to the rear entrances of the stores, especially on the railroad parking area. I wish everyone who has pride in the Village would take a good look at the Dumpsters behind Seventh Street. I would never bring a guest to show off "beautiful Garden City" by this route.

I am amazed that the Chamber of Commerce can't convince the store owners or renters that an attractive rear entrance will encourage customers. If the North Shore Bank, Dougal Fraser Realty and several other businesses can beautify the area, can't other stores take a little pride in their appearances?

Virginia Fortney

Traffic Markings Needed

To the Editor:

At the intersection of Cherry Valley Avenue and Stewart Avenue (going west) there are three lanes. Two are for right turns and the third is for the traffic going onto Stewart Avenue from Cherry Valley.

The far right lane traffic too often goes into the left (middle) lane and puts a burden on the driver to watch the traffic going onto Stewart Avenue from Cherry Valley and the traffic going onto to Stewart Avenue from the far right lane. In essence the middle car has to watch two lanes of traffic while making a legal right turn.

Can the County paint some lines and/or put a sign to prevent the far right lane from going into the middle lane and prevent the far right lane from moving anywhere but into the lane for a right into Rockaway Avenue.

I do not know if there are many accidents at this intersection, but I can imagine some irate drivers when they are in the middle lane.

Donald Noda

Bus Service For Middle School

Dear Mayor Bee:

My daughter's family lives in Garden City. Her family pays extremely high property / school taxes for the privilege of living in such a visually beautiful town.

Today I was with her as her three children went off to school.

My oldest grandson is in 7th grade. My daughter lives too close to the middle school for my grandson to qualify for bus service, although the distance from her home to school is a little less than one mile.

Because of the horrendously dangerous intersections he has to cross and the heavy early morning business traffic, my daughter is compelled to drive him to school for his safety and her peace of mind, thus adding more traffic to an already overburden traffic system.

In her words, this is the situation:

"The intersections my son has to cross are extremely dangerous. There have been a few people (students and teachers-one school employee killed) hit by cars while crossing Cherry Valley Ave. My son was almost hit last November when a minivan went right through the crosswalk while the crossing guard had the traffic stopped and the pedestrians had the right of way."

This situation would be unacceptable in any other school district....districts where residents pay far less school and property tax and enjoy the same quality education as Garden City students do.

I believe the only reason more horrific accidents and near misses have not happened, is because most of the parents in my daughter's situation, are driving their kids to school.

The only reason I can determine how the School Board gets away with this is: (1) there are less working Moms in your district so they are available to drive kids to school, (2) the school board does not have adequate representation of Garden City residents with school age children, (3) members of the school board have not witnessed the traffic around the middle school, therefore they can not make an informed decision re busing, and (4) indifference to students safety.

The decision on distance and busing should be made on distance - I will not debate that point; but it ALSO should be made on SAFETY!

As Mayor of Garden City, you should be in the forefront of correcting this situation! You might not be on the board, but your voice should be heard on this important issue. Remember, families with children vote - and young people can vote at 18 - you need their support now and in the future!

Lois Inguanta