Today’s letters: Public servants, tobacco taxes, withholding award, today’s students, safe caregivers, more
Published: Tuesday, June 29, 2010, 5:00 AM
Public servants should be held to promises
The pro-Obama people are correct when they claim that George W. Bush led our country to economic ruin and dug a hole for the Republican Party by pursuing record high spending policies that put our country into the current recession.
In addition to breaking new records of all presidents on domestic programs, he misled the country on his foreign policy. He claimed he would not get involved in nation-building, then proceeded to go into Iraq on the false pretense that there were weapons of mass destruction, and bombed and rebuilt Iraq while the infrastructure in the United States is crumbling.
When our current president was a senator from Illinois, he voted against the Iraq war, and when running for president stated that he would not pursue the same spending policies of his predecessor. Unfortunately, he flip-flopped on the promises that ensured his election.
We’re naturally still in a recession with record-high unemployment nationwide, and president Obama’s spending policies have eclipsed Bush’s by a couple of trillion dollars and counting. And of course we’re still in Iraq.
One solution might be to require all aspiring politicians be subject to monetary damages if they fail to honor contracts made. many businesses are sued in their own capacity for breach of contract if they fail to perform the work promised, but our public servants seem to get away with it. would they stop misleading people? I won’t hold my breath.
Len Weisberg Solvay
Use tobacco taxes for Tobacco Control effort
Last week, the new York state Legislature passed a historic set of bills aimed at increasing the taxation of tobacco. I applaud the Legislature’s efforts in raising the tax on cigarettes and other tobacco products within new York state.
We must now shift our gaze to ensure that this increase in tax revenue is allocated properly. Policymakers should in turn invest these funds into programs aimed at helping smokers to quit and improving the public health of our great state.
The new York State Tobacco Control Program should be the primary investment of this newly realized tax revenue. this program has proven to be successful. since the Tobacco Control Program’s inception in 2000, the new York state adult smoking rate is down 22 percent and youth smoking rates have dropped by 40 percent. The continued funding of the Tobacco Control Program will ensure that the full public health benefits of the new tax increases are realized. Tobacco taxes have been proven to effectively motivate thousands of adult smokers to make attempts at quitting.
The Tobacco Control Program has been an essential force in assisting those wishing to quit. there are still 2.5 million smokers in new York that need help — we must continue to invest our dollars wisely by supporting tobacco control in new York state.
Ryan Planer Syracuse
Mayor was right to withhold the award
Mayor Stephanie Miner was right not to approve a coveted award for a veteran Syracuse officer. Too many in our community are sheltered and kept ignorant of the abuse of power and the need for effective oversight of our police.
Jeff Piedmonte, president of the Syracuse Police Benevolent Association, called the mayor’s action “bizarre.” it is indeed bizarre that a mayor of this great city should step up to the plate and do what is right. I am grateful for her leadership and courage.
We desperately need a police department culture that supports officers for performing their dangerous and difficult duties lawfully, following police procedures and directives. Our streets and communities would be safer, and so would the police.
Through the many years in your position, Mr. Piedmonte, you have been part of he problem. I encourage you to embrace the reality that oversight and consequences are appropriate and necessary.
Our mayor and police need support to make our city better. to those who are outraged at Mayor Stephanie’s leadership: Think beyond your own perceptions; trust our mayor; seek her out; ask her to speak in your communities.
There are many outstanding police in our community. I pray often for their safety, I appreciate their sacrifices and I am not ignorant to the dangers and horrors they face.
Kathleen Rumpf Syracuse
A demoralizing act toward brave officer to the Editor:
Shame on Stephanie Miner for deciding not to give Detective Alp Llukaci the Wally Howard Award for his excellent work as an undercover officer.
How dare you stick your nose into something that didn’t happen on your watch. what a demoralizing and egregious act against our police department!
Detective Llukaci earned that award, putting himself in the cesspool of the drug world, at great risk to himself. He could have ended up like Wally Howard.
Instead of running taking pictures of the trash on the curbs, spend a week or two riding with a police officer or detective. you have no idea what the officers have to endure, from drunks and addicts to the rest of the criminal elements of society. get some on-the-job training before you pass judgment.
Detective Llukaci made a mistake 10 years ago, not yesterday. People make mistakes every day. Who hasn’t? you just did. Give Detective Llukaci his award. He earned it!
Mary C. George Syracuse
Today’s students still choose private colleges to the Editor:
Your front-page story June 25 examined the economy’s impact on students’ college choices. Manlius Pebble Hill School has noticed no significant increase in SUNY applications in the last 10 years. We have six graduates going to SUNY colleges this year, roughly the same average as over the last decade. The 80 percent of students going to private colleges is a significant increase — concomitant with an increase in applications to out-of-state public colleges.
What appears to be driving this seemingly counter-intuitive development is the recent dramatic increase in private college academic scholarships. many millions of dollars are now being awarded to maintain quality admissions. this year’s MPH graduates have won millions in academic scholarship money; four will be attending elite private colleges at absolutely no out-of-pocket expense.
This type of “tuition discounting” is directly related to the economic downturn, but will probably remain a tool in the ever-increasing competition among private colleges to enroll top-notch students. MPH, too, has significantly increased its own tuition assistance program in response to local and national economic trends.
Baxter F. Ball, head of school Manlius Pebble Hill School DeWitt
Parents should know if caregiver is safe
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Any parent who leaves their child with a known incompetent caregiver should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.
Too many babies and small children are being beaten and or killed in the hands of these caregivers. We must make the parents responsible pay for this crime, along with the criminal.
I cannot believe the parent wouldn’t know their child would be in danger if left with such a person. maybe they just don’t care. Let’s make them care.
Mary Anne Zaccanelli Chittenango
Time for talk about oil spill is long past to the Editor:
Dear Mr. President: it is time to stop the speeches. We have heard it all before. it is time to take action!
Your words will not stop the oil from spilling into our waters and fouling our shores. Your words will not stop the wildlife from washing ashore covered in oil. it is our coastline that is being devastated by the greatest oil spill in the history of mankind.
BP has tried and tried again, now it is your turn to gather the best, the brightest and the strongest of men and do the job they failed to do. be the president we elected you to be. Take control.
They say there isn’t much more that can be done, but maybe there is. I believe in you, Mr. President. The Earth is crying, “S.O.S. (Save Our Shores).”
Faith Lovette Syracuse
Drunk driving more costly than smoking
I am a smoker and I know all about the problems connected with it. I think the new cigarette tax is ridiculous!
I don’t see why smokers have to keep bearing the burden for new York state. The funny thing is, I can smoke a cigarette and drive my car and not hurt anyone, but if I were drunk, I could injure myself as well as somebody else. yet not once in the last few times of raising the cigarette tax is it ever mentioned about raising taxes on alcohol. why is that?
Drinkers should bear responsibility even more than smokers. they drink and drive!
Kathy Spagnola Syracuse
Obama wrong in plan to sue Arizona over law
Can you imagine the president planning a lawsuit over the Arizona immigration law — a law that protects citizens from illegals, rapists, smugglers, drug cartels, etc.?
Americans had better become very aware, or our national anthem will be replaced with “The Song of the Volga Boatmen.” Our only power is our vote. Hail to November and 2012.
Sheila Eagan Shattuck Syracuse
Fowler graduates are an inspiration
I attended the Fowler High School 2010 graduation ceremony, and I can’t remember the last time I was so inspired by a group of young adults.
While all graduations are proud moments, Fowler is a school of mostly poor, culturally diverse, inner-city youths. I watched and listened as speaker after speaker, student and faculty alike, had to take a moment to regain control of their emotions — their pride in their school and their accomplishments was overwhelming and unanimous.
As they honored who I assume is the school’s resident police officer with a standing ovation, it was easy to dwell on the sad reality that a school needs a resident officer. these students took a negative and turned it into a positive, and made him their friend.
These young adults gave me hope that while our system is broken and deeply flawed, it is not beyond repair — that all it takes is one generation to make a difference.
To the 2010 graduating class of Fowler High School: I salute you and I thank you!
Laura Navarrete Syracuse
How can town save while village loses?
Regarding the article on police consolidation June 10: without the necessary information to make a decision, I am having a hard time trying to figure out how the town of Clay can be saving $1.2 million since 2008. it would cost the village of East Syracuse $250,000 the first year and $200,000 the second year.
The figures do not add up. someone needs to go back to the drawing board.
Richard E. Rhoades Former mayor of East Syracuse Kirkville