The true price of the congestion pricing plan
Manhattan: I live in the Central Business District below 60th St. and I support congestion pricing — a tax to fund the MTA’s capital projects — but not as it’s currently structured. It will divide Manhattan into two classes of taxpayers: Those who live and work below 60th St., in the tax ghetto, because you’ll have to pay to come in and to go out and prices will go up within; then there’s the tax haven above 60th St., where there will be no financial impact.
Every vendor who delivers to any business, hospital, doctor’s office or commercial or rental building will have to pay the tax to enter the zone. That includes deliveries of heating oil. Delivery companies will pass this charge on to businesses, who will raise their prices. Residents, workers and tourists will see an increase in prices across the board, in goods and services and in rents.
Let’s consider the tax break for those who earn less than $50,000 per year. Any savings will be partially erased by the increase in prices. The MTA says studies were done and there will be no increase, but those studies were done before the pandemic. Businesses are still trying to recover, as are residents. And there’s inflation.
Why should residents and businesses below 60th St. foot the entire congestion pricing tax? If all of Manhattan paid it, the per-vehicle charge might be reduced by 50%. Price increases would also be equalized. The haven above 60th St. has the luxury addresses. I say let all of Manhattan share it. That would be fair and financially efficient. Carol Zalben
Wrong genre
Medford, L.I.: To Voicer Andrew Cioffi: You’re so right about Johnny Maestro. I have been saying this for years. What a joke! And you can add Connie Francis, Chubby Checker, Paul Anka and Blood, Sweat and Tears. But you have Eminem and Jay-Z as Rock & Roll Hall of Famers! I listened to their music in the ’60s all the time! LOL. What a shame. It’s the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, not the Rap Hall of Fame. Joseph Miserendino
Over-armored
Las Vegas: Here is a rule change to discuss in the offseason: No players are allowed to wear elbow and arm pads when at bat. Some players look like they are ready to play football every time they bat. Of course, they are not going to be afraid of the inside pitch. Players today would not have survived 20-30 years ago. Back then, if you got hit, you got some cold spray and shrugged it off. Dennis Buckley
On the books only
Manhattan: The recent letter by Voicer Elizabeth Forel concerning the overpopulation of cats and dogs mentioned the NYC law Section 17-811, Animal Population Control Program, passed in 2008. The law says in part: “This program shall seek to accomplish its purpose by encouraging residents of the city of New York who are the owners of dogs and cats to have them spayed or neutered by providing no or low-cost spaying and neutering services to such owners.” It goes on to mention “creating clinics or mobile units where such services shall be performed.” None of this has happened and suffering continues. What is the purpose of these laws if they are not enforced and most of the City Council does not care or know about it? Eva Podietz
Recorded cruelty
Ithaca, N.Y.: I am writing to appeal to your empathy for these poor cats suffering at the hands of pit bulls and their owners who record them attacking cats. For some reason, this story has only been covered by News 12 Bronx and the N.Y. Post. It breaks my heart, and I deeply want to see our media and Justice Department do something about this issue. I am not a “crazy cat lady,” but I am an animal lover and advocate, and there is no way you could see the videos this man is posting on his social media and not be moved to take action. Apparently, there is evidence that this has been going on for years, a mere few blocks from the New York Botanical Garden, and has not been addressed by local law enforcement or the media. Please, please give this issue the attention it deserves. Naomi Graseck
Unfairly targeted
Bronx: Re: “Fired because I’m Muslim” (April 27): Would the Adams administration have asked a Jewish head of the city’s hate crimes office to “push back” on Ramadan protesters? No? What on Earth does that even have to do with hate crimes? Then, when he reportedly did not, Hassan Naveed was fired for conduct the city would have tolerated from someone of a different religion. As a city employee with a few obvious “demographics” myself, I am disgusted, embarrassed, ashamed and not a little worried. Jorge Sierra
Support from Hamas
White Plains, N.Y.: It has been documented that Hamas beats and arrests human rights defenders, while Iran uses excessive and lethal force to repress protests. They laud the current protesters and claim, “Today’s students are leaders of the future.” How proud the protesters’ parents must be. Randi Bernstein Feigenbaum
Mask up
Fort Worth, Texas: Watching Donald Trump reminds me of a toddler thumbing his nose as he repeatedly breaks Judge Juan Merchan’s gag order. Trump is obviously daring the judge to jail him so he can put on his famous poor-me face and cry that no one else in the history of the world has ever been treated so unfairly. To enforce his gag order, Merchan should literally gag Trump. There is nothing in the world that narcissist would hate more than to be seen wearing a gag. After all, he did let 300,000 Americans die from COVID-19 because he was too vain to wear a face mask. Not only would that be a win for the American justice system, but for the American public, which wouldn’t have to listen to that lying, crotch-grabbing sociopath for the rest of the trial. Sharon Austry
New do
Kings Park, L.I.: Whoa! It’s spring! Time for a change! Did you notice #45 changed his hair to “dumb blonde”!? I so much preferred “orange clown”! Only his hairdresser knows what’s best! Dennis Wheeler
Post-Trump post
Brooklyn: Back when that awful man Trump was president, he put Louis DeJoy in charge of the United States Postal Service. His main responsibility was to destroy the postal service, and that is exactly what he is doing. As the price of stamps keeps rising, the service keeps declining. Mail is lost and never reaches its destination. It arrives damaged and is sometimes delivered to the wrong address. President Biden, why haven’t you removed DeJoy from this post and replaced him with someone who is responsible? Andrea Allen
Legal lawlessness
Schooley’s Mountain, N.J.: When Special Counsel Jack Smith asked the Supreme Court to take the case on immunity, they refused and sent it to the Court of Appeals, which took the case and resolved it 3-0 against Trump. The Supremes then said they didn’t like the conclusion and decided to take it themselves, just like Trump would. Homey don’t play that. Somehow, we get the feeling that somebody somewhere has their finger up our collective arses. We can not let it pass. Every citizen, the Congress and the DOJ have the duty to rein in the court. Technically, Congress has the authority to do so. The best the bad apples in government can do is come to our homes and kill us under their immunity clause. So be it. Vincent Biancomano
Bring the best
Merion Station, Pa.: The prosecution’s procedural errors cited by the New York Court of Appeals in Harvey Weinstein’s appeal of his rape conviction were rookie mistakes. I hope that when Weinstein is retried, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg fields a first-string team equal to the one that’s prosecuting Trump. Paul L. Newman
Diminished prospects
Wellfleet, Mass.: The United States these days? This observation by the late, great Yogi Berra says it all: “The future ain’t what it used to be.” Mike Rice
