Long Beach letters to the editor

City budget hits our wallets 

To the Editor:

Have Long Beach residents reviewed the city’s proposed 2010-11 budget yet? Get ready for another substantial tax increase along with some major increases in fees for service.

Take a look at the 50 percent increase in sanitation “fees” where one-family homes will pay between $350 and $475 a year while two-family homes will have to cough up $650 to $950 a year. Why are our fees increasing if the costs of sanitation services have remained the same?

Why have 400 new employees been added to our payroll in these last two years? Have you seen the overtime expenses extended to beach maintenance? Why is it six times more than the revised figure of $50,000? In the meantime, state aid is presently at a $3 million deficient, the arena isn’t bringing in any revenues, nor is the business base growing enough to add much-needed money to the coffers.

More importantly, no one seems to want to explain, in detail, where the millions in surplus dollars have gone. Assessing the management of our hard-earned tax dollars during one of New York state’s worst economic times, you’d think the city manager would give us a budget that makes sense. Although our quality of life has been consistent, the cost to the taxpayer has not been. Over 55 percent of the city’s revenues come from us, the taxpayer. On May 25 it is our turn to shout out in unison, “No more taxes!” 

Barbara DuBow Bernardino

Long Beach

Stating the obvious

To the Editor:

Scott Brinton's column "We're drowning in an ocean of black" (May 6-12) shows he has a keen sense of the obvious, after the fact. Brinton, like many others, blames big business and the Republicans when there is much blame to go around these many years for not developing and implementing an energy policy. His answer is to erect wind farms. Unfortunately, you need 280,000 units to be effective. Cape Cod's wind farm was approved, some say, because Democrat Ted Kennedy's opposition is no longer there.

There is concern for the environment and the damage the Gulf of Mexico spill is causing, but the combination of wind farms, solar, oil, coal and nuclear energies is a battleground of opposing proponents, each with their own agenda, who employ the NIMBY –– not in my backyard –– principle.

Brinton's characterization of the to-heck-with-the-environment "greedy and naïve" is his political banner when others don't agree with his limited solution. Where did the oil go that his "oil barons" sucked out of the Earth? Was it not used in the USA? Do we not refine imported crude?

If Brinton seriously believes that President Obama is giving tit for tat to pass the climate change bill, I have a Brooklyn Bridge to sell him. First, the climate change bill is at best controversial, and at worst the vehicle for a lot of progressives to profit while our industry will be at a competitive disadvantage. Second, Obama's tactics and lack of transparency leave a lot to be desired, and many have no confidence in his advisors and policies.

Bill Maron

East Meadow