To the editor,
Gov. Cuomo shouldn’t be proud of his 2018 Democratic Party primary win. Out of 5,621,822 registered active potential Democrats, only 975,552 voted for him, while 511,585 voted for Cynthia Nixon and 4,134,685 who voted for None of the Above by staying home. In reality, when you add up the combined votes of Nixon with those who stayed home by voting for “None of the Above,” less than 18 percent of registered Democrats supported Cuomo. He had the benefits and perks of eight years being governor, including daily free media coverage. Don’t forget periodic mailings from state agencies and authorities at taxpayers’ expense promoting his so-called accomplishments.
Virtually every state Democratic Party city, state and federal elected official, district and county leader, local clubhouse along with most labor unions endorsed him. This included mailings, phone banks and get out the vote drives.
He raised more than $32 million dollars primarily from Pay to Play and other special interest groups. Cuomo spent more than $25 million. This included a media buy in the millions. His campaign commercials ran 24-7 on most channels for weeks. His primary opponent Cynthia Nixon raised $2.5 million. Ms. Nixon was vastly outspent and could afford a very limited media buy to get her message out.Larry Penner
Great Neck
Not camera shy!
To the editor,
Even though Cynthia Nixon apparently lost badly against Gov. Cuomo, she did raise an interesting yet suspicious point. Andrew is our Governor Photo-Op!
When the Second Ave “Stubway” was being readied for operation, the governor pushed for an “early opening” before the system was ready. He made sure that our regular subway workers were pulled from their important jobs, to work with contractors to rush the opening date. For several weeks before and then thereafter, the commuters on the regular subway lines experienced massive delays due to these workers being pulled away from their critical duties.
And now he has done the same thing to score points for his reelection campaign. He rushed the opening of the second half of the new Tappan-Zee Bridge (I won’t say Mario either) at the peril of motorists using the span. He apparently ignored engineers’ warnings that the older structure, directly along side the new bridge, was compromised and in danger of falling onto the new spans. The new section of the bridge was opened, and then immediately closed because of the danger he inflicted on the motorists.
Any time you now see him standing at a podium at an opening of a major project, watch out!
His desire to be in the limelight outweighs your safety, at any cost, to gain in his approval rating.
Robert W. Lobenstein
Marine Park
What to do about flu?
To the editor,
I note that the American Pediatric Association is urging 100 percent of all infants to get the flu shot. That is rather shocking, since whether children that young may be allegic to eggs or other active ingredients which [the flu vaccine] is comprised of is most likely unknown. The flu inoculation has one-10th to six-10ths of one percent albumen [egg white] that may result in regurgitation, or skin eruptions, to mention only a few unpleasant side effects. One of my former neighbors had identical twin daughters who took the flu shot. One twin did not suffer any unpleasant side effect, the other developed hives. Who is going to decide what might happen to anybody taking the flu shot?Elliott Abosh
Brighton Beach
Disgusted with buses
To the editor,
Why don’t our buses pull up to the curb? Not owning a car, I depend on the MTA.
Buses no longer pull up to the curb like they used to, often four feet or more from the curb, creating a hazard to the rider!
I have found this danger on the B46, B8, B41, B9, B100, B82, in fact — all the routes I take! And when I ask the driver to please lower the stair, because being away from the curb creates a greater step up upon boarding and a steeper step down upon exiting — more often than not I am informed by the driver that it’s broken! As a senior with bad knees, our bus drivers must adhere to making their buses accessible to all passengers.Anonymous
Flatlands
Police are seeking the public’s help identifying a gunman suspected of going on an armed-robbery spree across Southern Brooklyn, stealing several hundred dollars from two gas stations and a bodega within less than two hours on the night of Sept. 16 (“Cops hunting suspect in armed-robbery spree,” by Kevin Duggan, online Sept. 21). The authorities said that the rampaging robber displayed a silver and black handgun and demanded money from the clerk inside a Shell gas station at the corner of Knapp Street and Avenue Y at 8:30 pm. He took an unknown amount of money and fled in an unknown direction, according to police. Some concerned readers wrote in to share their thoughts:
I usually use that Shell and was in there earlier in the day. Very sad because the guys at the station are really nice. This bonehead probably has a serious habit that he has to fuel. Hope he gets caught soon before more businesses get hit.
Bikerchick from Sheepshead Bay
I think the 63rd and 61st Precincts need to use an Impact Zone to crack down on these armed young cowards by using Stop and Frisk. That can stop [people from being] terrorized their good neighborhoods.
Am Goodridge
from Crown heights
Mayor DeBlasio must pump the brakes on his plan to replace Atlantic Avenue’s House of Detention with a jail eight times its size in his quest to close Rikers Island, according to some locals, who blasted the city for moving too fast with the massive redevelopment it hopes to start pushing through a necessary public-review process before the end of the year (“Rush to cell: City moving too fast in plan to expand House of D, close Rikers, locals say,” by Brianna Kudisch, online Sept. 24). DeBlasio’s scheme calls for building a jail as high as 40 stories with the square footage of roughly 24 football fields to fit 1,150 detainees who’ve been convicted or are awaiting trial. Here’s what some readers had to say:
Credibly captures the feelings of long-suffering residents across and near Boerum Hill. Talking first before approving the plans…seems to be a novel concept to City Hall. Recent reminder of failure: the BQX
Blogger Bill from Boerum Hill
Hurry up and close Rikers — the developers need that land now to build luxuryluxuryluxury housing. You won’t mind a jail in your neighborhood. Rikers has only been a jail for over 120 years. I hear about “affordable housing” all the time, but never “affordable real estate taxes.” I wonder why.
Rufus Leaking from BH
I don’t see why they can’t separate pre trial detainees from those that had been already convicted. The rationale that they need to be near the court doesn’t apply.
If they are sentenced to more than a year they are transferred to state custody and the short term — less than a year — don’t need to be near the court. And the convicted ones can be put anywhere…even Park Slope.Frank
This is NIMBY at its worst. Most of the people posting here know nothing about this issue. This has been under discussion for several years; the idea is to decentralize the jail system, and they do intend to reduce the jail population as well. This facility has been operating, almost continuously for decades, so what difference does it make that it expands a little.
The only greed I see here is from self-interested land owners in the neighborhood. And by the way, video arraignments sound great, but they are less than ideal; people deserve the right to actually face a judge. This makes it easier to get to court, and for local families to visit.
Remember, these jails are full of “innocent” people — they are awaiting trial, and have not been convicted.Sterno from Red Hook
Look, let’s face it, traffic in Downtown Brooklyn is already a nightmare. Bringing the guards for 1,150, and new larger staff, visitors, lawyers, etc. will be a disaster of biblical proportions.
Guards will drive and park anywhere they want. I didn’t oppose reopening the jail. I don’t oppose bail reform…Haven’t we done some of that already?
But each boro needs to take its fair share reducing this jail by 200 plus will in fact make a difference.
Frank
