Illogical? You Bet!

To the Editor:

Some of the people who profess that they want "to truly save St. Paul's," need to stop misleading the residents by insisting (especially at this late date) that there are other affordable options to an AvalonBay development that will save the building for public use. Such misinformation was advanced once again in the Letters to the Editor last week from leaders of the Committee to Save St. Paul's ("CSSP"), and from Mr. James Kenny, one of the initiators of the suit against the Village that stopped any redevelopment of St. Paul's several years ago.

If any of them know of other affordable options that haven't been considered, what are they? And why hasn't the CSSP brought them forward for serious consideration over the 15 years that experts have searched for a solution to this problem? Please ask them that. The CSSP leaders and Mr. Kenny seem to think Village taxpayers should spare no expense to save the building for some as yet undefined public use. We're a rich Village; we can afford it, Mr. Kenny has publicly pronounced. Especially in these times of economic distress, I don't think most of our residents would agree.

Mr. Kenny laments the "illogical reasoning" that has led us to the current options under consideration for the building. I completely agree with him and with the CSSP that the building is worthy of salvation; but we part company after that. Unlike them, the search many of us have been engaged in over the past several years is to find a practical solution for saving this irreplaceable building at minimal to no taxpayer expense. The AvalonBay proposal has its imperfections, but it is the best - and only - solution anyone has been able to come up with for achieving that objective. The lack of reasoning on this issue now is on the part of those who continue to hold onto the "belief" (It certainly isn't based on logic or sound analysis!) that some practical but elusive solution for saving the building is out there, and, miraculously, would be found if only our Village officials were a little more capable and would try a little harder. Wrong! After all these years of committed study, nothing could be more nonsensical.

Neither Mr. Kenny nor the leaders of the CSSP have been shy about holding themselves out as the true saviors of the building. They also haven't hesitated to use their resources to sue the Village to prevent anything from being done to St. Paul's for which they personally disapprove. I fully expect they will continue to play the "spoiler" role, and try once again to block any affirmative action from being taken with respect to the building. That gets us no where, and is a primary reason why this issue has dragged on for as long as it has.

To my knowledge, none of these individuals have any personal experience in undertaking any development project of the size and complexity (let alone, the expense) of St. Paul's. What else might explain their clinging to unjustified hopes, and might help us understand their dismissal of factual analysis, and of those who have far more experience and knowledge then they do about the financial and physical challenges of such a redevelopment. Illogical, indeed! For those who care to consider them, and apply the logic Mr. Kenny says is missing, the facts, garnered by experts in the field and over several years of study, clearly indicate that the search for practical options has been thoroughly exhausted.

The Trustees and the residents now have two clear options to consider: We either find some way to do a development deal with AvalonBay, or we tear the building down. Let's not continue to confuse the issue by suggesting that there are other practical alternatives just waiting to be discovered. With the application of reason and rationality, a decision on this issue might have been made years ago. It's past time for doing that now.

John Mauk

Catch-22 Revisited

To The Editor:

I was dismayed to read the text of my Letter To The Editor printed in last Friday's edition of the Garden City News. The letter concerned the proposed vote for either approval of the Avalon Bay proposal for St. Paul's or destruction of the building. My dismay was caused by the fact that your published text stated:

"Linkage of development and destruction presents residents with a Catch-22 of two choices which yield undesirable results (a project with high density new construction which destroys the context of the site in which the building sits on destruction of a village historic, hallmark structure)."

My letter set forth the disjunctive " or" between the words "sits" and "destruction." This was the key thought that was to be expressed in the letter; the choices were mutually exclusive - high density project or razing the building.

I ask that you reprint my letter, accurately, with its proper text or in some other way note the error.

I thank you for your anticipated cooperation.

James M. Kenny

Keep People Here

To the Editor:

The Garden City News recently has contained almost exclusively, houses for sale and commentary, some nasty and counter-productive, regarding the St Paul's property.

I cannot do anything about the real estate taxes that are forcing many to leave Garden City, but may I make a suggestion regarding the productive use of the St Paul's building?

Seeing as the Village owns the property in question, why doesn't the Village obtain one of the various IDA loans that are being given out willy-nilly, and convert the property to an assisted living facility?

This would solve several problems:

1- It could keep the property on the real estate tax rolls at regular rates, without any loss to the Village or school district

2- It would not add any additional students to the school district

3- It would not appreciably add to any perceived traffic problem because many of these resident do not drive any more

4- Village residents could be given preference for admission, with maybe some consideration as to cost being taken in the form of the residents prior residence. If the residence was transferred to the Village for admission, I believe a minimum of value would be lost to income taxes; and the Village could then sell the residence at market rates, with the monies going to the assisted living facility for operating expenses.

5- It would keep long term residents here in the Village; these people are unique.

Grant Herbster

Property Tax

Relief

To the Editor:

The number one issue to solve is the crushing burden of taxes and the need for tax relief, especially from school property taxes, which make up the greatest percentage of the tax bill most of us pay.

I am pleased to note I voted to pass property tax cap legislation and mandate relief bills in a recent Senate session, designed to reduce costs for schools and ensure adequate resources for New York State's students.

Enacting a property tax cap is a good starting point, but it is only one piece of the puzzle. Help for school districts to deal with rising costs that force property taxes to increase -- including rising pension and energy costs is needed. New Yorkers are facing challenging economic times.

I supported Governor Paterson's Bill to place a cap on the growth of school property taxes at four percent or 120 percent of Consumer Price Index (CPI), whichever is less. In addition, I voted for a bill for savings as well as mandate relief measures. These are needed to reduce costs for school districts and ensure greater relief for the taxpayers.

The legislation includes relief from increasing pension costs, increased aid for construction of "green" schools and energy conservation improvements, incentives for consolidated services between school districts, school superintendent sharing, a ban on unfunded mandates, and a moratorium on property reassessments.

I want to stress that although the need for tax relief was and continues to be the number one goal for me. I am working to reduce state spending to help address our current budget problem without hurting our schools, hospitals and local governments.

Thank you.

Kemp Hannon,

New York State Senator

www.kemphannon.com

Strong Supporter

To The Editor:

On the weekend of June 14th, June 15th, 2008, 96 teams came together to play a series of lacrosse games for the Jay Gallagher Memorial Tournament. The proceeds from the tournament went to three wonderful foundations: The Miracle Foundation, The Andy Foundation, and the Mollie Biggane Melanoma Foundation. Toni Randi has been a very strong supporter of the Andy Foundation since its beginning, and we would personally like to thank him for the very generous donation he gave us from the proceeds, It's people like Dr. Randi that help us to further prosper in our mission, for kids, by kids. From that donation we were able to help many different places, such as purchasing school supplies for children who utilize the services of The Mary Brennan Inn in Hempstead and finding more research for building a new playground this summer. Another gracious thank you to Dr. Randi. We are looking forward to working again with you at the next tournament.

Emily Spencer

The Andy Foundation

Unsatisfactory Village Oversight

Printed By Request:

Mayor Peter Bee

Dear Mayor Bee:

After residing here for 25 plus years, I am still surprised at the seeming inability of some of our Department Heads and Administrators to effectively carry out their mandate. I have concluded that we are being poorly served. The Avalon affair is just one of the difficulties.

The lack of interest by the Administration in the ongoing maintenance of the quality of life here is astounding. We, are in the best of the "Stepford Wives" tradition, overlooking governmental failures. A few critical examples are outlined below:

1. Allowing, virtually every day of the week, scores of leaf blowers to pollute the air we breathe with noxious exhaust fumes. Poisonous pesticide residues are being blown in great clouds into our own and our children's lungs. (Trying to light a cigar however anywhere near our children would probably lead to a jail sentence.) Allowing the noise of these machines, sometimes 3 or 4 blowers to a single lawn to destroy our quiet life here is outrageous. The airplanes are bad enough. No-one seems to care!

2. On certain streets, the Village has replaced the curbs, which under normal conditions will enhance the appearance of the town. After the curb work is completed, we have then permitted, in the best "cart before the horse" tradition, paving contractors to scarify (remove old asphalt) on these same streets, and in that process damaging or defacing the NEW curbs.

3. On the subject of new curbs, our Village and a few others often permit the installation of new curbs without reinforcing bar. While this practice can be done, it leaves the curb brittle and less able to absorb abuse. Nassau County requires a reinforcing bars in its new curbs.

4. In a previous letter, I told you of the dangerous root destruction being allowed by the Village. This process puts us in danger from our beautiful tall trees, which may crash down because of the severing of the main root systems during curb and sidewalk replacement.

I was assured by you that this complaint would be taken up with the appropriate people. As of this writing, I have heard nothing from you or anyone else regarding the immediate inspection and cessation of this dangerous practice which I'm sure will have Village liability implications should these trees topple in the wind.

5. It would seem that the practice of allowing double dippers to remain on the payroll as "irreplaceable" talent, should foster better results for our tax money.

Perhaps when the award luncheons and photo ops are finished you will be inclined to respond to the residents of our Village on these matters.

Richard R. Dolan

With Appreciation

To The Editor:

Wayne's Pharmacy is always there for the little concerns right through to the bigger more important medical information. It is never too busy to talk and willingly take the time to explain and/or make suggestions and recommendations. Wayne, you are a world of invaluable information that you are eager to share. Thank you Wayne's Pharmacy for all you give back on a daily basis.

Joy and Meredith Krug