Defibrillators, climate bill, NYC congestion pricing, and jackpot prizes

Defibrillators should be higher priority

This 10-year-old boy’s death should raise a serious concern about the lack of access to a functioning external defibrillator for all Long Islanders [“Boy’s dad to file wrongful death lawsuit,” News, Aug. 9].

During a recent trip to Florida, I saw county sheriff’s vehicles equipped with external defibrillators. These medically equipped police vehicles hasten response times during emergencies.

Public safety expenditures in Nassau County are more than three times the national average. Enormous sums were spent recently to equip police with body cameras while external defibrillators should be a greater priority.

Give our public safety personnel the tools to respond in our tech-savvy world.

— Joe Campbell, Port Washington

Climate bill a boost to U.S. standing

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, in passing the Senate, has brought President Joe Biden’s climate goals back from the dead [“Climate, health bill passes,” News, Aug. 8].

The United States, instead of faltering on decarbonization, will be able to cut carbon emissions by about 40% by 2030, with a game-changing investment of hundreds of billions of dollars in tax credits for clean energy.

For low- to moderate-income Long Islanders, this bill would also mean significant help in purchasing electric vehicles, increasing their homes’ energy efficiency and investing in clean heat-pump home heating and cooling systems.

If the House passes the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, it will put the United States back on the climate-saving stage, boost our economy and improve our health.

— Jenna Inglese, Mount Sinai

Congestion plan looks like a lemon, no apple

Listen to the bell announcing the Big Apple turning into a Shriveled Lemon [“Impact of congestion pricing,” News, Aug. 10].

Taxing people to drive into New York City is abhorrent. Drive from out of state, pay high prices to stay at a hotel, pay to park your car at that hotel, eat wherever, try to see a show. Big tab. Maybe they’ll visit some other city instead.

Live in the suburbs, and you might be better off taking a train, although the Long Island Rail Road reliability and accessibility aren’t the best. If you’re a senior, stairs are steep.

And once you arrive at Penn Station, you have to seek a way to arrive at your final destination. Maybe use the dirty, overcrowded subway.

Congestion pricing will fill the coffers of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. It’s not enough that bridge tolls subsidize the transit system by charging folks who want to go to Manhattan.

All hail the advent of the Shriveled Lemon.

— Helene M. Schneider, Elmont

Why did state take 6 years to find this?

Here’s the real issue that needs to be addressed [“Guilty plea in pension case,” News, Aug. 11]. Why did it take six years for the New York State Teachers’ Retirement System to discover Mary Garrett’s death?

Aren’t there requirements by hospitals, funeral homes, etc. to report a death to state agencies and Social Security to avoid such a situation?

Is this an isolated case or a sign of something bigger? If it’s the latter, State Attorney General Letitia James should dig a bit further.

— Tom Carey, Massapequa

Single huge jackpot winners are a rarity

A reader suggests limiting the top prize of any Mega Millions winner to $10 million [“Limit huge jackpots so more can win,” Letters, Aug. 3].

First, after a jackpot has been won, regardless of size, the new starting jackpot is $20 million.

Second, it takes about four months of nobody winning it to reach the billion-dollar prize, roughly three dozen drawings.

Third and most important, the lottery is set up to split the top prize among the number of winning tickets. In the reader’s thinking, perhaps it was unfortunate there was only one winning ticket for the $1.3 billion, third-biggest in U.S. history.

In my office, we get together and chip in, as I’m sure many throughout the country do. Since the buyer in Illinois has not come forward, it is possible a group of people claim it, not a single person.

— Gary Goldberg, East Meadow

If you and I work, it’s no recession

There used to be a (somewhat) tongue-in-cheek definition of economic downturns [“How the experts try to declare recession,” News, July 29]. When your neighbor loses his job, it’s a recession. When you lose your job, it’s a depression.

Hardly anybody who wants to work today is unemployed. We’re not in a recession.

— Len Axinn, Huntington Bay