Not every fix is a fit everywhere in the city
Bronx: There were a lot of things to like in Transportation Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez’s op-ed “Daylighting bill adds street danger” (Sept. 29), in which he opposed a City Council bill to introduce so-called universal daylighting, which would bar cars from being parked within 20 feet of every crosswalk (advocates contend this would prevent pedestrian deaths by improving sight lines for drivers).
Rodriquez demolishes this theory convincingly. But what did I like most? This sentence: “There is not a one-size-fits-all answer to street safety.” Finally! For years, I’ve been saying it — no two neighborhoods in New York City are the same, thus neither are any two solutions to problems, including transit problems. Daylighting may have some benefits, but not on every street in every borough. Again and again, the city Department of Transportation comes up with well-meaning plans that might work in some places but will fail spectacularly in others. That’s why Rodriguez’s statement was such a breath of fresh air. The DOT should use data and analysis for each location before introducing new programs.
I’m chairman of the Belmont Business Improvement District, which includes Arthur Ave., the Bronx’s Little Italy . Folks drive in from the suburbs to shop here. Our stores and restaurants are engines of economic growth, providing good jobs for folks of all backgrounds. The daylighting bill would rob us of no fewer than 320 precious parking spots in a mass transit desert. Our streets are narrow — folks can’t drive fast as it is. Frankly, we don’t have a problem with pedestrians getting hit. Daylighting is not for us. Thank you, Commissioner Rodriguez, for saying it so well. Peter Madonia
Continue her legacy
Oakland, Calif.: Unbeknownst to many of her followers, the late, world-renowned primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall was also a rodeo critic. Back in 2019, she co-signed a SAFE (Save Animals From Exploitation) letter to the New Zealand government advocating for a ban on calf-roping, flank straps and electric prods. The same proposal is now before the New York City Council, Intro 1255, the “Rodeo Animal Protection Bill,” sponsored by Councilman Robert Holden, currently in the Committee on Health, with a pending hearing and vote. The bill deserves broad support. Its passage would be a tribute to Goodall and a boon to rodeo animals everywhere, setting the stage for the needed state legislation. The United Kingdom (England, Scotland, Wales) outlawed all rodeo back in 1934. Can the U.S. be far behind? Eric Mills
How can we support this?
Little Egg Harbor, N.J.: I guess I’m just an old peacenik. Still, rules of war have been ignored in order to kill innocents, women and children. Why are these not being enforced against Israel? The Israeli people are begging for peace, but Benjamin Netanyahu continues his vindictive assault on the innocent, propped up by our country, which is coddling him and supplying him with weapons in spite of the world branding him a war criminal. When did we become the backer of infamous murderers? Someone who wants children to die of starvation while Greta Thunberg tried to save them with a flotilla carrying food and medicine and was detained. Who’s giving this criminal this power except us!? For each child who dies, we must admit to our part in this. Netanyahu has snipers killing people who go to food we’ve tried to supply. Trump better wake up to the lies this man has been telling him. Rose S. Wilson
Negotiate
Ridgewood: Republicans have been turning down the Democrats’ ideas on the Affordable Care Act since March. If the Democrats agree to the continuing resolution, what are the chances that the Republicans will take any action on the ACA? What is needed to solve this problem is for the two sides to sit down and agree on changes. Then pass that bill through both houses of Congress (while the shutdown is still in place) with the understanding that the Democrats will then agree to a clean continuing resolution. John Sendlein
Straw man argument
Bronx: I agree wholeheartedly with Voicer Kellye Rowland in regards to the government shutdown. Piggybacking off of her letter, the right-wing talking point is that Democrats are trying to save health care for undocumented immigrants. This is a lie, as undocumented immigrants are ineligible for health care. If the undocumented need emergency health care, they can go to the hospital and not worry about paying, per the EMTALA law signed in 1986 by Republican President Ronald Reagan. Democrats are fighting to save health care for American citizens. Those who choose to believe otherwise are either misinformed, willfully ignorant or unwilling to accept this fact, as it contradicts their partisan agenda and narrative. William Bradshaw
Overzealous accusation
Middletown, N.Y.: Wow! New Jersey, you have an obvious lunatic running for state Assembly! Katie Brennan is obviously a very uniformed person. She actually accuses President Trump of illegally stopping money for the Gateway project (“Trump took Gateway money, we must take his golf club,” op-ed, Oct. 4). While I get that she does not approve of it, to call it illegal is just nuts. Any fair-minded person could understand that with the government shutdown, cuts must be made and eventually negotiated for again or restored when the government opens up. But to hyperbolically accuse him of stealing the money from N.J. is wrong. She should not be allowed anywhere near the state Assembly! Kevin Scanlon
Withhold funds
Brooklyn: Since money seems to be the only thing this president values, might one suggest that for every penny he withholds from New York (or any “blue” state or city), a similar amount of taxes the state/city owes to the federal government be withheld in an escrow account until such time as the funding is restored? If that doesn’t happen in a timely manner, release the funds to be spent in-state. Enough is enough. Ilsa Ruthen
Common practice
Pearl River, N.Y.: To all the lefty and centrist Democrats who constantly talk about Trump avoiding the draft by claiming bone spurs, why don’t you poll how many Democrats and their children avoided the draft with whatever excuse they could come up with? It was common practice at those times to avoid going to war. Stop the one-sided nonsense. Robert Brennan
Absent reporting
Briarwood: On Thursday night, the Yankees played at home against the Red Sox in the deciding game three of their Wild Card series. On Friday morning, I purchased the Sports Final edition of the Daily News and there was not a single word about the game. What is your deadline for reporting? This has been going on for at least four years. Why sell a newspaper proclaiming “Sports Final” when there is sports news not reported? Saturday’s paper, when there were multiple college football games and baseball playoff games, did not have the sports calendar to show which are on TV and on which channels. After 50-plus years of purchasing and reading the Daily News, I have to stop because the quality of your writing and reporting leaves a lot to be desired. Cliff Mitchell
Declining service
Bronx: First, Optimum Cable took away its “search” feature where you could spell out a movie you’re looking for. Then Optimum could not hold on to Spectrum’s NY1 news channel. Again, Optimum’s customers took a hit. Gone. Now Optimum states that its NBA TV contract has expired and is no longer available. I wonder how many people cancelled their subscription. Eric Cummings Jr.
He wasn’t so bad
Charlotte, N.C.: The anniversary of Superstorm Sandy is fast approaching. Let’s take a break from the incessant bashing of Andrew Cuomo and thank him for the greatest gift he gave the tristate area. Have you all forgotten that Cuomo pushed the National Weather Service to downgrade Sandy from a hurricane to a tropical storm? If it had stayed a hurricane, the deductibles for insurance claims would have been appreciably higher. Cuomo undoubtedly saved the whole tristate hundreds of thousands of dollars. Further, if you do your research, you’ll discover that the “nursing home scandal” was nationwide, even in Republican states. Congress dragged only Cuomo into a special hearing purposely and intentionally to embarrass New York. Barbara Haynes
