No President Needed
To The Editor:
I have the highest respect for Henry J. Stern both as a former public official and commentator and always make it a point to read his Queens Tribune articles. Without in any way lessening that respect but simply to take the opportunity to add my two cents to the subject of Borough Presidents, which was the subject in his column, “Politics Can Help Cities to Prosper If Leaders Wise” (Queens Tribune Jan. 12-18).
Suffice it to say the Office of Borough President as it currently exists does not in any way whatsoever resemble that in which 50 years ago Mr. Stern served. Fifty years ago, Borough Presidents sat on the Board of Estimate and possessed significant power in the operation of this city. The United States Supreme Court correctly decided The Board of Estimate was unconstitutional, because it allocated power to members of the Board that was disproportionate to the size of the population in the various boroughs. The Board of Estimate was abolished and legislative and administrative authority placed in the hands of the Mayor and the City Council, where it rightfully belonged.
The office of Borough President did remain, but without any real legislative or administrative authority. In the absence of any real authority, it became nothing more than a useless patronage mill. The Borough President could dole out some money, usually to favored entities, but the amounts in question were insignificant in terms of the city’s overall budget and its economy that annually ran into the billions of dollars. Before the advent of term limits, which all Borough Presidents opposed notwithstanding the public’s support for term limits, and since New York City for all practical purposes was on the local level a one political party town, it meant Borough Presidents could hold the office for life. With the advent of term limits, the office will now become the dumping ground for other politicians who will be term-limited out of other offices.
Since we have a Mayor and elected officials in each election district who do possess real power and who if they wish to remain in office need to be concerned about their constituents, there is no need to squander millions of taxpayer dollars on a useless patronage mill that serves no significant public purpose. The time has come to give serious consideration to abolishing the Office of Borough President.
Benjamin M. Haber
Flushing
7 Train Issues
To The Editor:
There is still much more to do after completion of Mayor Bloomberg’s feasability study for extending the 7 subway train to New Jersey. Future success is dependent upon many issues.
In the past, construction of any major new freight, tunnel or bridge project has taken decades by the time all feasibility studies, environmental reviews, planning, design, engineering, real estate acquisition, permits, procurements, construction, budgeting, identifying and securing funding prior to opening day service.
Remember that the proposed new subway station to be built at 42nd Street and 10th Avenue had to be deleted from the current 7 subway extension from Times Square to the Javits Convention Center. No one could find $500 million dollars to cover the anticipated costs. The original cost of the overall project was $2.1 billion and is now $2.4 billion not counting the subway station that had to be dropped from the original scope of work. How do we now find $10 billion more for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority New York City Transit 7 subway extension from the Javits Convention Center on Manhattan’s west side to New Jersey Transit’s Secaucus Junction station on the New Jersey Turnpike?
The anticipated final potential cost will not be known until completion. Costs will be refined by award of construction contracts followed by change orders to contracts during the course of construction.
It is difficult to predict when we will see a shovel in the ground, followed years or even decades later by beneficial or the final price tag to taxpayers.
Larry Penner,
Great Neck
Adopted Life
To The Editor:
I am a retired NYC public school teacher who resides in Fresh Meadows with my beautiful wife and our two cats. My wife and I just celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary this past October. I would like to share with you my life as an adopted child.
This was a dedication I wrote and read to my parents on my wedding day. When I was about 9 years old, my parents sat me down to explain to me that I was adopted. They told me I was special, since they were able to choose their baby. I grew up in a home with a lot of love and understanding. My other two siblings, my sisters Theresa and Michelle were also adopted. We have never loved our parents any less - the bond of family togetherness grew even more throughout the years.
There was never ever a time that our parents were not there for us. I look back and realize how fortunate I and my two sisters were to have been adopted by the two most loving and caring people in the world.
They made so many sacrifices for us. My father’s mother came to live with my parents in 1958, shortly after my grandfather passed away. My grandmother was stricken with MS at the age of 28, and from that point on was wheelchair-bound until her death in 1980. My parents were truly amazing. Not only did they raise 3 children, but took care of an invalid grandparent, worked, and always made time for so many other people - family, friends and neighbors. As an adopted child, I have never felt any less love for my parents. They once told me that if I wanted to find my natural parents, they would not mind, but I said to them that they were the only parents whom I loved and still do.
I am grateful for all that my parents have done for me. They were always there, offering support, love and encouragement. Thank you, mom and dad for selecting me. I am proud to have you as my parents.
John Amato,
Fresh Meadows
Four Questions
To The Editor:
In his letter, “Wrong Mandate,” Mr. Zizellas shows great passion. I appreciate and respect that. My view is that we mere mortal, ordinary citizens will never know the truth about the happenings in any political arena. We can go only on the reporting of “the news” by the media.
To all the citizens who are still eager to re-elect President Obama; I have four questions:
1) What about “Solyndra”?
2) What about “Fast and Furious”?
3) What about the quality of the President’s appointments - Secretary of the Treasury, ( tax problems) Mr. Geithner and Homeland Security Chief, (there are no terrorists, only purveyors of man-made destruction), Ms. Janet Napolitano?
4) What about all of the above?
One man, one vote (hopefully). Regardless of what happens in November, I am certain our great country will survive.
Rolf Adams,
Bayside
A Giant Win
To The Editor:
New York Giants win, Giants win, Giants win! The Giants had a giant victory against the Green Bay Packers, who were 15-1. A Giant win for a giant team. Who knew? The Giants have proven what they are made of and that’s a beautiful thing. Now, hopefully, it’s all the way to the Super Bowl. Giants fans know only too well that hope springs eternal. So let’s go Giants!
Frederick R. Bedell Jr.,
Glen Oaks Village
Hydra Speak
To The Editor:
Senate Majority Leader Mitch “The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one term president.” McConnell is very upset with his targeted victim. President Obama has appointed former Ohio attorney general Richard Cordray to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, without approval of the Senate which was not in session; an appointment known as Recess Appointment.
McConnell says that President Obama’s appointment was a “power grab,” which “fundamentally endangers the Congress’s role in providing a check on the excesses of the executive branch.” The Hydra of Lema is a Greek mythological many-headed serpent. It would require the Hydra, with the multiple sides of many mouths from which to speak, in order to equal the anti-Obama double talk emanating from the opposite side of the aisle.
As for McConnell’s concern about Obama’s power grab, the following is a scoreboard comparing the Obama grab to past gropings per year:
Reagan: 240; Bush HW: 77; Clinton: 140; Bush GW: 171; Obama: 28.
As our dear old liberal Mother Jones magazine put it, “Obama’s move seems less like a power grab and more like the proverbial 98-pound weakling taking a second to wipe the sand out of his eyes.”
Dating myself a bit, I would add, “Come on Charles Atlas, please infuse a little dynamic tension into this 98-pounder and morph him into that legendary ass-kicking machine of yours.” Unfortunately it is the only language that these self admitted Repubstructionists understand.
Nicholas Zizelis,
Bayside