MTA toll evaders, school sex abuse settlements, Trump, American Rescue Plan Act, Citizens United commercials
A toll evasion suspect is taken into custody near the Queens entrance to the Queens-Midtown Tunnel on Nov. 4. Since March, a toll enforcement task force has made 630 arrests. Credit: MTA
More MTA agents can catch scofflaws
The scofflaws cheating the Metropolitan Transportation Authority by making their license plates unreadable are cheating all of us [“ ‘Ghost’ plates rise at bridges despite crackdown,” News, Nov. 11]. Some $50 million is being stolen from us, forcing tolls to rise and delaying needed repairs and upgrades.
After five years on the job, an MTA Fare Enforcement Agent makes between $52,289 and $80,442 a year. If the $50 million were recovered and divided among even the highest salaried agents, the MTA could add more than 620 agents in the field.
Imagine even half that many agents stopping and arresting cheaters and confiscating the cars of the worst offenders at our bridges and tunnels. How long do you think it would take to get people to do the right thing?
If the MTA wanted to hire the other half and put them in the subways, we could probably stop those toll jumpers, too.
— Franz Kirsch, Northport
The most obvious toll evaders are those drivers who chemically obliterate the paint on their license plates so the numbers cannot be read. We’ve all seen them. They partially erase about half the rear license plate, the one that gets read by scanners.
The state needs to start somewhere to catch these motorists [“Get tougher on toll evaders,” Editorial, Nov. 14]. From a practical point, start on tunnel tolls where vehicles converge. Police should be stationed at the entrance and exit. When a vehicle is spotted, police can alert their colleagues at opposite end with the vehicle details, and the violators can be pulled over.
For those of us who pay our fair share, this is another cost that we motorists pay with toll increases because of those who cheat the system.
— Michael Lefkowitz, East Meadow
Why do we pay for sexual misconduct?
Lately, settling sexual abuse charges seems to be more common in school districts [“$16.5M million to settle sexual abuse allegations,” News, Nov. 3]. In my school district, a teacher, now deceased, was accused of sexual abuse decades later. School districts must pay large sums to victims.
Why should taxpayers who did nothing wrong be on the hook to have their school taxes increased to pay for sexual misconduct by some teachers or administrators? It’s not fair.
Shouldn’t the teachers union pay the fine for its members? Or perhaps it should come from the state pension fund for educators. The buck should stop with the people responsible for these teachers’ actions, not the taxpayers.
— Robert McDonough, Cold Spring Harbor
If you forget the past, you might repeat it
My granddaughters often tease me about using timeworn phrases like “The shoe is on the other foot” or “The pot calling the kettle black.”
A few folks wrote in to criticize Gov. Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James for their statements about President-elect Donald Trump the day after the election “Hochul, James’ vitriol inappropriate,” Letters, Nov. 12].
The readers suggested that the two state officials should both graciously accept the election results and congratulate Trump for his victory. Hmmm. Like he graciously accepted defeat in 2020? For creating the Big Lie and instigating an attack on the U.S. Capitol?
Another reader wrote, “Be careful what you wish for” “Give Trump a chance to show his plans,” Letters, Nov. 12]. That’s another of my favorite phrases along with “Let’s hope he’s all talk and no action.”
— Phil Cicciari, Port Washington
Don’t increase taxes if fed money is there
Assigning funds from the American Rescue Plan Act is near the end. Most of federal COVID-19 relief funds must be allocated by state and local governments by Dec. 31, 2024, and spent by Dec. 31, 2026. If not allocated by next month, the funds must be returned to the U.S. Treasury.
Long Island townships are aware of these lost government funds. As a result, due to town overspending and mismanagement of the ARPA revenue, towns are raising taxes above the state cap and blaming it on inflation and higher personnel costs [“East End towns plan tax hikes,” News, Oct. 27]. Those are convenient reasons.
— Pete Scott, Centerport
Thank Citizens United for loud commercials
A reader said he’s glad election season is done [“Hallelujah! Candidates’ invasion is finally over,” Musings, Nov. 11]. But it’s only a brief respite before the cacophony of TV advertising resumes. We should focus on regaining command of the volume control.
The shouting at us is, after all, not the candidate’s speech but rather the wealth-owned amplifiers delivered by the Citizens United noise generator. When money talks, it is loud, repetitive, intrusive and intent on selling rather than informing.
United citizens can insist our noisy corporate neighbors stop being so public a nuisance.
— Brian Kelly, Rockville Centre
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