Ferries are an ideal transit supplement for NYC
Great Neck, L.I.: “NYC Ferry touts record ridership for start of year” (April 10) is great news! New ferry services can be implemented more quickly than construction of new subway lines, commuter rail or highways. These can take years or even decades to complete, requiring environmental reviews, planning, design, engineering, real estate acquisition, permits, procurements and construction before reaching beneficial use.
Completing all of the above, along with finding funding for ferry boats, docks and parking with costs in the millions, is easier than finding the billions of dollars for construction of new or extended subway lines, commuter rail or highways. Utilization of ferry boats equipped with fuel-efficient engines can make a positive contribution to air quality
Albany provides State Transportation Operating Assistance (STOA). Ridership on transit service generates yearly federal transportation capital assistance via the Federal Transit Administration Section 15 annual reporting process. Numerous past private ferry operators have come and gone. They could not financially survive without government subsidy. MTA buses, subways, Staten Island Railway and commuter rail, along with the NYC Department of Transportation Staten Island Ferry, are subsidized by a combination of city, state and federal assistance for both capital and operating costs. All new ferry services will require similar subsidies to survive.
Who wouldn’t want to enjoy the fresh air and breeze that only waterborne transportation can provide? Riding a ferry can be less stressful than being on a crowded subway car. Larry Penner
Won’t be missed
Flushing: O.J. Simpson is dead, great news. I hope it brings the Goldman family some peace. I’m sure there’s a special place in hell for that dirtbag! J. Gross
Lingering questions
Chicago: My head is still spinning after hearing the news that O.J. Simpson has passed. It raises so many questions that will likely go unanswered. For instance, with his death, who becomes the next logical choice to be Donald Trump’s running mate? Also, will the investigation into his ex-wife’s murder continue now that Simpson is out of the picture and no longer playing golf? With the demise of O.J., does Trump become the most vilified individual in the U.S.? After all, we are aware of the importance he places on finishing first. Lastly, who is left to mourn the exit of one of the most divisive figures in all of sports, if not American history? And who, if anyone, will find any solace in his exploits on the fields of play? Bob Ory
Tatted up
Manhattan: The Daily News article “Get dressy, not messy” (April 11) says the NYPD bans shorts, cargo pants and possibly beards. Yet, cops are allowed to literally look like gangb*ngers with tattoos covering their arms. Shorts, cargo pants and beards don’t come close to sending the warped message that cops covered in tattoos do. If decorum is what the NYPD is concerned with, tattooed cops give off a thuggish, jail-like culture that makes the NYPD look hypocritical, like they’re trying to play both sides of the fence. Leonard Marshall
The ultimate price
Brooklyn: I am really concerned about all the vicious and senseless loss of life that has been plaguing our city almost every day. I implore our representatives at all levels of our city and state government to consider reinstating the death penalty, which was suspended in New York in 1963. It will be a prominent deterrent to anyone who is a habitual and violent criminal, who should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Patrice Perticone
Drastic measure
East Northport, L.I.: New York City is really bad with crime. I’ll bet the city was very nice years ago. All I read about in the newspaper are people getting shot, stabbed or pushed onto the subway tracks, and police officers getting shot and killed. While Gov. Hochul and Mayor Adams talk about stopping crime while doing nothing, the only way to stop it is to bring back the death penalty. Alfred Wooley
Teach kindness
Brooklyn: Voicer Dennis Fitzgerald has it right that parents need to be held responsible when their children go bad. There is more to it, though. Hatred, anger and bigotry are learned and passed down from parents to their children. Kids don’t come to be like that without hearing it first at home. Perhaps we need to start teaching our children as soon as they start school that everyone needs to be treated equally and respectfully. Greg Ahl
In contrast
Riverhead, L.I.: Donald Trump attends the wake of a murdered police officer to show support and solace for Detective Jonathan Diller and his family. Meanwhile, in NYC, the liver-spotted, baby-killing draft-dodger, President Asthma, flanks himself with a serial rapist and George Soros’ lackey to whor* money from D-list celebrity idiots. What a disgrace! Martin Smith
Enlightenment
Barnegat, N.J.: Wow, I never thought I’d live to see the day! The Orange Julius has found religion! He’s selling Bibles, and now he’s shown up at a fallen police officer’s wake. What’s next, apologizing to the Capitol Police who his patriots assaulted while he watched for three hours? Jerry Serillo
Cosmic event
Valley Stream, L.I.: Holy smokes! In Monday’s paper, there was not one mention of the Orange Menace in any Voicers’ letters! Could that be due to the eclipse? If so, maybe an eclipse a day will keep Trump away! Vince Sgroi
Truth in crisis
Manhattan: Long ago, I noted Maya Angelou’s lesson: “When people tell you who they are, believe them.” I’d like to share the old and new truth with you for several reasons. President Biden amicably agreed to share with Russia — not one of our closest friends — that there could be an imminent terrorist attack in Russia. Good of him, and even finer news for the cooperative U.S.A. Our ex-president bends, twists and tweaks the truth with every “the,” “and” and “but” he utters. The upshot is we do have options, but if we look at the facts, the next time we vote, the choice is clear. James A. Fragale
Unnecessary measure
Lansdowne, Pa.: To Voicer Ron Cristi: If JFK had listened to Gens. Charles De Gaulle, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight Eisenhower and James Gavin, no draftees would have been in Vietnam. All urged him to secure only the South’s capital city and major airport. “If it can’t win when you’ve done that much for them, the cost won’t be worth it,” said Ike. JFK thought his best and brightest Harvard pals knew more about it than these generals. Georgia Makiver
Libelous focus
Manhattan: An article in Thursday’s New York Times states that the rape and slaughter of hundreds of Jews at the concert on Oct. 7 is not a ”case study” of the depravity of Hamas, the effects of Islam on the minds of young men or on what to do to protect yourself from terrorists at a crowded event. According to the Times, it’s a case study on the drug use of the Jews. The editors at the Times apparently think it’s appropriate to vilify the dead Jewish victims of the massacre and to belittle their lives, their humanity. “They were just drug addicts” is the not-so-veiled message of the Times. Antisemitism now being propagated openly from all directions. These are very sad days for the Jewish people — sad and dangerous. Lloyd Litwak
For the record
Amherst, Mass.: Let’s examine the events of Oct. 7 as documented by British director Richard Sanders in his recent film about that terrible day. A few fewer than 1,200 Israelis were killed; 256 were active-duty soldiers, as well as 53 police and security forces and 63 civilian security guards. The majority of killings were civilians — 782, of whom 36 were children, 13 of them younger than 12. Two babies died, one by a bullet fired through a door and another after an unsuccessful emergency caesarian section of a pregnant woman who’d been shot. Eighteen Israelis were found to have been killed by their own military or police, including one by helicopter fire. Of the many taken hostage, 27 were dead before they reached Gaza (presumably due to injuries, executions or, most likely, indiscriminate helicopter fire on vehicles). Early claims of beheadings, mutilations and widespread rapes have been debunked. Roy Danilever
