EDITORIAL
READERS WRITE
Election day is almost here!
Nov. 5 is Election Day, and is a
time for all registered voters to get
out and vote.
In the last general election,
voter turnout was low. Well, in my
opinion, I find that to be a total disgrace.
We live in a free country and we
have the right to choose who can
better represent us. When we don’t
vote, the possibility exists that
wrong candidates — who don’t always
represent our vital interests
— get elected.
We need representatives who
want to serve the people and are
truly concerned with what we the
people hold most dear.
There are many issues that
should concern us, including taxes,
education, homelessness, affordable
housing, health care, crime,
and transportation. The issues are
endless and need to be addressed
by our elected representatives who
hopefully have workable solutions.
When we don’t vote, we have no
right to complain about how bad
things are. Added to that, when
we don’t vote, the quality of life decreases.
We all need to express a desire
for better communities. So, I am
calling on my fellow citizens to
please go out and vote on election
day!
Frederick R. Bedell Jr.
Glen Oaks Village
EDITORIAL STAFF
Reporters: Bill Parry, Mark
Hallum, Carlotta Mohamed, Jenna
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FAILING OUR MOST
VULNERABLE
City Comptroller Scott Stringer blasted City
Hall on Oct. 21 with a report that demonstrated
just how much our government has failed to protect
the most vulnerable people who live here.
According to Stringer, the number of domestic
violence victims living in the city’s family shelter
system has spiked by 44 percent over the last five
years.
These survivors now account for 41 percent of
the family shelter population in this city.
But worse than that, Stringer’s report found
that the city isn’t doing nearly enough to help
these victims — who have already been through
horrible situations — get back on their feet.
The city limits the stay of victims in crisis
shelters to 180 days; if they can’t find proper, permanent
housing for these victims, they are sent to
another shelter.
Stringer also said the housing vouchers offered
to these survivors aren’t anywhere close
financially to what’s needed to help them afford
sky-high rents in this city.
None of this should surprise any of us, at this
point. The past decade has seen an unprecedented
rise in homelessness matched by evidence of a
city government either too overwhelmed, too inadequate
or too apathetic to meet this challenge.
Mayor Bill de Blasio’s “Turning the Tide on
Homelessness” plan has proven to be as useful as
shoveling sand into the ocean during high tide.
Communities across the city are still fighting
proposed shelters tooth and nail — partly because
of NIMBYism, true, but the size and scope of these
shelters (potentially housing hundreds) is indeed
cause for serious concern.
The subways are riddled with homeless people
sleeping on benches or amid filthy train cars.
It’s galling and shameful that the people we
elected to run this city can’t figure out what to do
to help those in the most need.
We’re supposed to be the most progressive city
in America with policies designed not to leave
anyone behind from economic opportunity and a
better life.
And yet, here we are with a City Hall utterly
incapable of finding a domestic violence victim
and their children a decent place to live in peace
and rebuild their lives.
It’s enough to move you to tears. We only wish
it would move City Hall to action.
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16 TIMESLEDGER, OCT. 25-31, 2019 QNS.COM
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