To the editor,
The recent vote by the City Council to overturn the two-term limit (“Terminated! Biggest loser in Council vote is democracy,” Oct. 30) which had been approved by the electorate of New York City twice in the last several years is a serious blow to rule by law which has been a bed rock of American democracy.
Whether it would be desirable for Bloomberg to run for a third term as mayor and even if he were elected in a landslide is not the point. Our concern as members of the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture is that political opportunism, which has been epidemic in the present national administration, is being repeated in New York in this attempt to usurp the will of the people in order to enhance political gain.
If the people of New York wish that the mayor succeed himself, give them the power to decide; using the tactics of legal loopholes to overturn the will of the people, no matter what the rationale, is a dangerous precedent for any administration.
This can be clearly seen in the Bush Administration’s contempt for the legislative branch of government with its executive powers stretched beyond the wildest fears of the Founding Fathers to subvert legislative measures and the will of the people. It has led to the United States into having the reputation of a pariah in its compromised moral leadership to the rest of humanity.
In this uncertain future we face, we must have confidence that our governmental leaders obey the rule of law since it should be clear by now that many major areas of the business community have shown little regard for following any rules in advancing their own self-interests.
Joel Shatzky, Park Slope
The letter was written on behalf of the Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture.
• • •
To the editor,
I am writing in support of Councilman David Yassky because your recent coverage is seriously misleading (“Yassky: The lyin’ in winter,” Politicrasher, Oct. 29).
Here’s what I know about Councilman Yassky: He is one of the most serious, smart and hardworking individuals working in city government today. He works seven days a week, starting immediately after he drops his kids at school, and usually works evenings and weekends. Ivy League educated, David could be working as a corporate lawyer, pulling down a salary 10 times what he is paid at the Council. Instead, he chooses public service.
I was so impressed by David that I began volunteering for him, working many hours a week reaching out to the public schools in his district. Later, I joined the staff part time as his schools liaison. Normally skeptical of city government, I saw David as the bright exception worth my time and energy. (I am no longer on the staff, and write now exclusively as a resident and constituent.)
David, like many of us, saw the prospect of a third term for Mayor Bloomberg to be in the best interests of the city. But he certainly didn’t welcome the news. He, personally, had nothing to gain by extending term limits for the mayor or anyone else since he is running for Comptroller.
It would have been far better for David, in fact, if the issue of extending term limits had never materialized in the first place. But it did, and so he sat down to make an extremely difficult decision. He wanted to put it to voters in a special referendum, but when that option was denied, he did what he thought was best for the city.
It would have been both far more politically expedient for him to grandstand and vote no. But he didn’t. He made the responsible, tough choice. I congratulate him.
Jane Flanagan, Brooklyn Heights
The writer is a former staffer in Councilman David Yassky’s district office.
Distrust Ratner
To the editor,
Your editorial, “Distrust but verify” (Oct. 25), reminds us that the Atlantic Yards project is still alive, even if it’s not doing so well — and it’s not just that it’s more costly, but it has also become far more toxic.
I am sure we will see more awards given to your paper’s coverage of Atlantic Yards should construction eventually proceed. Indeed I would expect that The Brooklyn Paper will end up reporting how Ratner’s delay of the Atlantic Yards build out will contribute to perpetual gridlock on Atlantic and Flatbush Avenues. That is, replacing Atlantic Yards Phase II residential housing with interim parking means going back on a commitment to mitigate traffic by using off-site parking with a shuttle service to the arena.
So now instead of this being a transit-related project, the new Atlantic Yards timetable confronts Brooklyn with the prospect of public parking for Ratner’s arena and his mall, as well as of a park and ride for the MTA.
Meanwhile, there is no public input on how vehicles are expected to enter and exit the parking areas without further disrupting existing traffic flows!
The new timetables effects will also show up in your ongoing coverage of the Gowanus Canal — in fact, the paper has a current piece on combined sewage overflow and long term goals for cleaning up the canal (“Toll’s Canal project moves forward,” Nov. 1).
Creating interim surface parking with no end date means that accumulating automotive and petroleum-based chemicals will become part of the storm water runoff feeding into a cleaned up Gowanus. How big of a problem this will become appears to rest, like so much else, solely in the hands of the developer. So, continue to distrust and verify. We’re counting on you.
Alan Rosner, Prospect Heights
Dems the breaks
To the editor,
The voters have spoken (“Barack-lyn,” Nov. 8).
The Democrats have won the federal political trifecta and will control all three branches of government by very comfortable margins. They can no longer use President Bush and those nasty, mean old Republicans as a political piñata and blame them for all of our problems.
Actions speak louder than words. Voters await fulfillment of all the promises made by the team of Obama, Biden, Reid and Pelosi. Creation of jobs, economic growth, balanced budgets, reduction in long-term debt, creation of budget surpluses, tax rebates for low- and middle-income citizens, improved education and health care access for more Americans, cleaner environment, ending the war in Iraq and protection from potential terrorist attacks on our soil were easy verbal commitments to make.
But the mid-term report card will come due with the 2010 Congressional elections. Remember the promises made in 2008 and see how many are kept between now and 2010.
Larry Penner, Great Neck, NY
