Let the scaffolding industry help fix the mess
Long Island City: The op-ed “Speaker Adams must end scaffold mess” (Jan. 26) hits the mark on needed reforms to “Get Sheds Down” but mistakenly claims that the scaffolding industry is an obstacle.
The NYC Special Riggers Association (SRA) represents the scaffold, access and restoration industry. We believe sidewalk sheds should only be temporary protection, property owners should make needed repairs promptly, and the Local Law 11 inspection process needs to be revisited. We also support improving lighting and color schemes, allowing the city to conduct repairs if property owners fail to act and imposing penalties if work permits are not pursued within six months of erecting scaffolding.
We are proudly working with Councilmember Keith Powers and others on legislation to achieve the greatest level of success in concept and implementation. The Department of Buildings is working with architects on a new design and must maintain the structural integrity to protect the public. Proposals to use cantilevered platforms and disallow sheds on new construction sites will lengthen the time to complete construction if safety standards already provided by sheds are to be maintained. It is property owners’ responsibility to repair their buildings so scaffolding can be removed. Unfortunately, smaller building owners in lower-income neighborhoods have the toughest time paying for required repairs and need access to grants or low-interest loans to complete these repairs.
No one-size-fits-all approach will solve this problem, but the building code amendments we support will preserve our city’s historic skyline while protecting pedestrians, residents and workers. Veronika Sikorski, president, NYC SRA
We’ll miss your voice
Bellerose: It is with great sadness to read of the passing of fellow Voicer Larry Penner. I loved reading his opinions. A lot of them were about the MTA, local businesses and restaurants. One restaurant he would write about was the Scobee Diner in Little Neck, where my wife Eva worked for 25 years. We met him there with his wife Wendy. I wrote a blog with Larry at the Queens Courier a few years back and it was a most enjoyable time. I will truly miss Larry, whose opinions were posted at local and regional newspapers and were most informative. In my opinion, you were the greatest. My heartfelt prayers go out to Wendy and to his family and friends. God bless you, Larry, for a job well done. Frederick R. Bedell Jr.
Democracy still
Brooklyn: To Voicer Peter McCarthy: You are right, we are a republic — a democratic republic. Bruce Mercadante
Needs help
Forest Hills: I am not against RFK Jr. in any way personally. He belongs in a recovery program for his addiction and another for not dealing with the trauma of the assassination of his father and uncle. He does not belong in a cabinet position, he belongs somewhere where he can get help for these issues that he doesn’t seem to have resolved. It just seems that he is being enabled by this nomination. It is a formula for disaster — for him and the country. Stew Frimer
Wayward workers
Bronx: With few exceptions, the most despised employees in our country today are Republican members of Congress and the cabinet, their aides and the sadistic, vengeful and immoral orange demon to whom they have pledged allegiance. They have forgotten our Constitution, their constituents and their ethics, morals and souls. Heaven help the rest of us. Rose Mary Lancaster
Before bodies are cold
Jefferson City, Tenn.: Well, he did it again. He shot off his big mouth with unsupported crap, other than his “common sense,” not even 24 hours after the plane/helicopter crash near Reagan National Airport. Without any proof to back up his statements, before the black boxes were recovered, before all passengers’ and crew’s bodies had been recovered, he starts the blame game. He blamed the air traffic controller, Joe Biden and his DEI policies. He even blamed former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, saying he was a bad secretary and a bad mayor. Relatives of those who perished don’t want to hear him placing blame on anyone before they are even able to properly grieve their loved ones. He even has his vice president and transportation and defense secretaries echoing his unfounded claims. Is this what we have to look forward to? Sean M. Talty
Big job
New Rochelle, N.Y.: Before the president again challenges without evidence the fitness of air traffic controllers, perhaps he should, unlike President Ronald Reagan, show them some respect. Richard Rodrigue
Oversight is over
Bronx: It seems that most Americans didn’t pay much attention to President Trump’s firing of 17 inspectors general. The dismissals went mostly unnoticed, perhaps because we were all distracted by news of recent mass arrests and deportations of illegal immigrants. Inspectors general are appointed to oversee, investigate and denounce any attempts at fraud, lawlessness or corruption by government officials. By law, the president was supposed to notify the Congress of his intent to dismiss the inspectors with at least 30 days notice, but he didn’t. That in itself is a violation of the law, yet no Republican has dared complain about it. Sen. Lindsey Graham actually said (on “Meet the Press”) that he was “OK” with what Trump did! Some who are knowledgeable of the workings of government are suggesting that the firings may be Trump’s first step in an attempt at a coup. Carlos B. Martinez
He’s a joke
Ossining, N.Y.: Voicer Josh Greenberger, tarnishing my beloved Brooklyn, has thin skin like his cult leader Trump. The jokes that late-night hosts tell at his expense are the sort of truth-telling we need. The absurdity before us by having such an unfit person in power must be highlighted. Trump invites jokes through his endlessly appalling behavior, grift and ineptitude. Greenberger seems to forget or does not care that Trump is a convicted felon and a traitor who attempted a coup that resulted in dead police officers. He told awful lies during the campaign that the likes of Greenberger lap up. Cats and dogs being eaten? Really? Trump is a loathsome creature found by a court and jury of his peers to be a serial sexual predator. Don’t blame comedians for poking fun. Look to yourself for giving blind support to such an abhorrent human. Robert Rundbaken
Don’t deface
Ballston Spa, N.Y.: No to all you cronies who thought up putting Trump’s mug on Mount Rushmore. Don’t even think about it. You’re drinking too much of that Kool-Aid stuff! Daniel Simard
Better than us
Itasca, Ill.: Thanks, Canada. In America, we say, “Good fences make good neighbors.” America, you may have heard, loves walls. We’re building one down south. It’ll go well with the symbolic barriers we’ve erected where unity once lived. Most Americans support our two sovereign nations continuing as good neighbors. But too many follow the “Canada as 51st state” trial balloon like lemmings racing off a cliff. Our leadership has an overreach issue. Anyway, thank you for your eternal patience, being a great WWII ally, your current support in fighting Southern California’s wildfires, and being the ultimate good sport. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m also drafting letters to Greenland and Denmark. Jim Newton
Friends forever
Tarrytown, N.Y.: I have been in a text group chat for about 10 years with 11 friends. We all grew up together on the challenging streets of the Bronx. Some of us are becoming grandfathers now. On Inauguration Day, two-thirds of our group had a great day! As they celebrated “their guy,” I sat staring into my phone and decided I was not going to say my usual “good morning” tomorrow as I have been for the last 10 years. Over the last 10 days, at least five of them checked in to see if I was OK. We have tried not to talk politics on our chat because it always leads to heated arguments. But I have decided that tomorrow I will say good morning. I truly love my friends and would do anything for any of them. I will have marks on my tongue from biting it, but I have decided “their guy” is not going to ruin our lifelong friendship. Stephen Talenti
