oped BTR letters & comments
BRONX TIMES REPORTER, N BTR OVEMBER 1-7, 2019 13
More flawed
reasoning
Dear editor,
For a letter writer to characterize
the impeachment inquiry
as ‘McCarthyism’ is seriously
fl awed reasoning. The
President is constitutionally
guaranteed the right to defend
himself. If and when the President
is actually impeached
the information gathered during
the inquiry will be made
accessible to him and he will
have the opportunity to rebut
that information, just like any
defendant accused of a crime.
Pasqual Pelosi
Vote ‘No’ for
Ranked-Choice
Voting Ballot #1
BY COUNCILMAN
REV. RUBEN DIAZ
There is question for voters
to decide if they want to
completely undermine and
overhaul New York City’s
voting system.
It is important for you to
know that if this measure,
Ranked-Choice Voting Ballot
#1 is passed, voters will
no longer be able to cast
their votes directly for the
candidates of their choice
in New York City’s primaries
or regular elections.
This will be the end of
our ‘one person - one vote’
democracy.
You should know that instead
of voting for your candidate
to win, voters will
rank as many as fi ve candidates
in the order of their
preference.
Here is what the NYC
Campaign Finance Board
says will happen if none
of the candidates receives
more than 50 percent of the
total vote:
“If there is no majority
winner, the last place can-
didate would be eliminated
and any voter who had that
candidate as their top choice
would have their vote transferred
to their next choice.
This process would repeat
until only two candidates
remain, and the candidate
with the most votes then
would be the winner.”
My dear reader, this
measure is too complicated
to put into place without
any real discussion by the
voters or the general public.
It amounts to an electoral
3-Card Monte game, and
who wants to play that with
our elections?
Please inform all your
family, relatives, and
friends that Ranked-Choice
Voting Ballot #1 is very bad
for our participatory democracy.
Ladies and gentlemen, if
you do nothing else during
these next few days, I urge
you to go to the polls, which
are open until Election Day,
Tuesday, November 3, and
vote “no” on Ballot Proposal
#1.
Enjoy a less
stressful ride
Dear editor,
There is money available
to support ‘Bronx commuters
say NYC Ferry serves all
New Yorkers’ (Carlotta Mohamed
-- October 21) for not
only parking at the Soundview
Ferry dock along with
initiation of new ferry service
from Ferry Point Park,
Pelham Bay Park and City
Island. All Mayor de Blasio
has to do is ask NYC Department
of Transportation Commissioner
Polly Trottenberg
to submit grant applications
to both the Federal Transit
Administration Passenger
Ferry Program and NYS
DOT.
Why not apply for capital
grants from the NYS DOT
and Federal Transit Administration
to assist in funding?
NYC DOT does this and receives
tens of millions on an
annual basis on behalf of the
Staten Island Ferry. Albany
also provides State Transportation
Operating Assistance
for transportation
systems such as the Staten
Island Ferry along with local
share against federal grants.
Ridership on any transit service
generates yearly federal
transportation formula capital
assistance. Numerous
past private ferry operators
have come and gone. They
could not fi nancially survive
based upon farebox revenue
alone without government
subsidy. MTA local and express
bus, subway and commuter
rail along with NYC
DOT Staten Island Ferry is
subsidized by a combination
of city, state and federal assistance
for both capital and
operating costs. All of the existing
and proposed future
NYC Economic Development
Corporation private ferry
routes will require similar
subsidies if they are to survive.
Riders could purchase
weekly or monthly passes
for discounted fares. These
could be supplemented by
using Transit Checks which
will further reduce the cost
per ride.
Riding a ferry can be less
stressful than being packed
in a subway car like sardines
in a can or stuck on a bus
running late in traffi c not
moving.
Larry Penner
Trump keeps
his promises
Dear editor,
How many times are Democrats
going to attempt an
impeachment of President
Donald Trump? An overwhelming
level of insecurity
is clearly shown as President
Trump heads toward a second
term and Democrats still
haven’t got over Hillary’s loss
to our commanding chief.
The United States of
America is doing very well
thanks to our current President,
Donald Trump. Unemployment
is at its lowest
rate since 1969, something
Obama couldn’t accomplish
in an eight year term, our
military has strengthened
by volumes, something Hillary
wouldn’t have tackled as
president. Donald Trump his
is a President who actually
cares about putting America
fi rst, and has no problem
defending Christians and
Christian values.
From the wall on the border,
to empowering our economy
by not letting foriegn
countries bully and munipulate
America’s bussiness
deals, Trump has kept his
promises.
Democrats’ and Liberals’
childish slanderings at
our President are just more
sleezy attempts from political
parties that are no longer
in power. It is that loss
of power that has made them
enormously envious, desperately
trying to unseat a man
who has been doing a fl awless
job.
Thank you Donald Trump
for making America great
again.
Robert Tribuzio, Jr.
Vet’s Day flag
sponsorship
Dear editor,
The United Veterans’ Day
Parade Committee of Greater
New York organizes and conducts
the annual Veterans’
Day Parade in Throggs
Neck. This year’s parade will
be held on Sunday, November
10 and kicks off at noon from
Lafayette and East Tremont
avenues. The 2019 parade is
historic as it celebrates the
100th anniversary of the
American Legion and also
marks the 35th year that our
community has hosted this
patriotic event to recognize
veterans, past and present
for their service to our great
nation.
Each year, our committee
volunteers have placed
on all telephone poles both
American and service fl ags
representing the Army, Marine
Corps, Navy, Air Force
and Coast Guard as well as
the POW fl ag throughout the
parade route of march along
East Tremont and Randall
avenues and the Throgs Neck
Expressway to the Bicentennial
Veterans’ Memorial
Park. Our fl ags require replacement.
This year’s goal is to raise
funds to purchase 100 fl ags
for a mix of American and
Service Flags for placement
and marching. These fl ags
are American made and typically
average $50 per fl ag including
pole, hardware and
bracket. Accordingly, we are
seeking your kind donation
to sponsor a fl ag in honor of
a loved one, family, business
and / or club, or to just show
your patriotism and honor
our veterans. Your name
and/or your business will
be recognized in the Bronx
Times Reporter.
If you chose to support this
just cause with a donation
for one or more fl ags, please
make your check payable to
the United Veterans’ Day Parade
Committee of Greater
New York and mail to the address
listed below. Include
who is to be recognized. You
can also give your check to
one of our volunteer committee
members. Your contribution
is tax deductible.
Please make checks payable
to United Veterans’ Day
Parade Committee of Greater
New York, Inc., P.O. Box 835,
Bronx, NY 10465.
Committee co-chairs,
Carolyn Casey Engeldrum
Watson, USMC (Ret)
LET US HEAR FROM YOU
Letters to the editor are welcome from all
readers.
They should be addressed care of this
newspaper to Laura Guerriero, Publisher,
the Bronx Times Reporter, 3604 E. Tremont
Ave., Bronx, NY 10465, or e-mail to bronxtimes@
cnglocal.com.
All letters, including those submitted via email,
MUST be signed and with a verifi able
address and telephone number included.
Note that the address and telephone number
will NOT be published and the name
will be published or withheld upon request.
No unsigned letters can be accepted for
publication.
The editor reserves the right to edit all
submissions.
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