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Assemblyman Joe DeStefano’s recently
published op-ed in The Long Island Advance, linked the “crime wave
sweeping through our communities” to bail reform.
Regrettably, he resorted to highlighting individual cases of
violence to stoke fear in us. This is the tactic too many
politicians have used since the day after bail reform went into
effect. The reason they cherry pick the most inflammatory anecdotes
is because data for their claim doesn’t exist. It didn’t exist on
Day One, and it doesn’t support his conclusions 2 years later. On
the broadest level, an uptick in violence is happening all across
the country, and there has been no change in bail laws in most
states. The claims that the spike in crime in New York is connected
to bail reforms is completely unsubstantiated and simply not true.
In fact, there are real solutions to reducing crime and
improving public safety. In his op-ed, the Assemblyman referred to
them when he said that the state should enact meaningful legislation
that improves the quality of life for every resident of this state.
I agree. Unfortunately, his punitive measures fail to address the
real solutions that will have long-term positive impacts on public
safety —reducing the number of illegal guns, improving mental health
care, education, youth activities, and job training programs.
Finally, the Assemblyman accuses Democrats of a “depraved
indifference to human life.” This rhetoric is divisive, malignant
and irresponsible. It will never move our legislative bodies toward
productive debate that will result in constructive and effective
solutions.
We need to demand that all of our legislators work
hard to ensure the use of high-quality data, reasonable
interpretation of data, and civil rhetoric to get the job done.
Phyllis Hartmann
Bellport
Tuesday, August 23rd is Primary Election
Day. In the Town of Brookhaven, only registered Republicans can vote
that day. The Democratic Congressional candidates have no primary
opponents, so will not be on the ballot until the Nov. general
election. They are Jackie Gordon in Congressional district #2, and
Bridget Fleming in Congressional district #1. Whereas, the
Republican Congressional candidates in both District #2 and #1 have
primary opponents to determine who will be their candidates in the
general election.
Larry Tierney
Brookhaven
A word about the Brookhaven Town
Redistricting efforts that are currently underway. I was born and
raised in the Village a Patchogue and I currently reside in Bellport
Village. I am a retired member of the Suffolk County Sheriff’s
Office, served as a past executive board member and President of the
Suffolk County Association of Municipal Employees, currently serve
as a member of the Board of Education in the South Country Central
School District and, in full disclosure, I ran for public office for
Brookhaven Town Council in the 4th district in 2019. I say this to
demonstrate my lifelong willingness to help others and my deep
concern for uniting diverse communities.
In its efforts,
Brookhaven should ensure equity in its redistricting by drawing at
least one majority/minority council district. The 2020 census
numbers indicated a shift in Suffolk County's population, with Black
and Latino residents comprising 33% of the population, up from 19%
in the 2010 count. This is an increase of 76%, and that change
should be reflected in the Town’s council districts.
At the
State level, we have seen two majority/minority Senate districts
drawn, one in Nassau County, one in Suffolk County. The Suffolk
County legislature has committed to drawing at least four
majority/minority districts. The town of Brookhaven, the largest
town on Long Island, should do the same.
The best way to do
this is to bring Coram, a diverse area long split into three
separate districts, into Council District 4. Shirley can also be
moved into Council District 4, relieving some of the population
overflow of Council District 6. The community of Ridge, rather than
being split between Council Districts 2 and 4, can be solely placed
in Council District 2, where there is a need to increase the
population in the that district. This would ensure equity that
reflects the change in demographics over the past decade.
If
Brookhaven is truly committed to a serving all of its diverse
residents, then they should strongly consider adopting all of these
changes.
Cheryl A. Felice
Bellport
Editor's Note: This letter is in response to our recent Editorial.
I write in support of your recent
editorial about the lack of enforcement of speeding laws within the
village of Bellport.
This subject is vexing and of very long
standing here. To be sure a reasonably frequent series of measures
have been taken to reduce speeding. These include a moveable speed
measuring device which bears a warning sign about “Strict
Enforcement” and a “Silent Policemen” in the middle of the road at
the corner Main & Howells Pt Rds.
And, of course, those
measures in your editorial. These with other permanent signs may be
good to support law enforcement activities but they do not issue
violation tickets and in my experience as an observer and a driver
they have very little effect. Those who live on Sth Country Rd have
good reason to be upset by the danger and noise of speeding vehicles
at hours.
Driving a vehicle is very much an in-the-moment
activity during which an operator is not usually musing about their
behavior vis-à-vis the stringency of local law officials. An
external in-the-moment action such as a traffic light or an
effective speed bump would probably obtain compliance, and such
actions have been proposed – but not installed.
So how about
something new? A Safe and Peaceful village promotion with signs and
actions to broadcast this orientation. Then actions against those
who disobey the vehicle regulations. Install speed cameras, which
actually work, at least on the three main roads entering the
village. The flash of a camera to a speeder will be an announcement
that their transgression has been recorded and they should expect a
notification. A permanent warning sign that such cameras are in
effect will also have a salutary influence.
In my opinion two
extensions to this would be: (i) to make the cameras noise sensitive
to capture the violation of speedsters with exhaust resonators
and/or monster-truck drivers who sound-pollute this
friendly/safe/quiet village (ii) reduce the speed limit in the
center-village to 20 mph. This is a hazardous area because of double
parkers and jay walkers are incompatible with speeders.
Graheme J B Williams
Bellport Village
It was disheartening to read Assemblyman
Joe DeStefano’s Op-Ed in last week’s edition.
While our
country is reeling from the repeated slaughter of innocent children,
DeStefano thinks more guns are the answer. He also repeats the “Big
Lie” that the Democrats want to defund the police, believing this
will help his reelection in November. We need protection from gun
violence, like ‘red flag’ laws that keep assault rifles out of the
hands of mentally unstable individuals, not political finger
pointing.
Clyde Parker
Bellport
I’m shocked by Assemblyman DeStefano’s
support of the Supreme Court’s ruling against the decades old law
that strictly limited who could carry a firearm in public in New
York City, the nation’s largest and most densely populated
metropolis.
New York City police officials made clear that
they strongly opposed overturning the law because it will put New
Yorkers at further risk of gun violence, injury and death. As one
former policeman noted, “The Court’s decision has made the job of
the New York Police Department much harder overnight.”
John
Miller, NYPD Deputy Commissioner of intelligence and
counterterrorism, went further noting, “The mayor, the police
commissioner and every police officer has a grave concern that
putting more guns on the streets of New York is not going to come to
a good end.”
For Mr. DeStefano, who hypocritically claims to
Back the Blue, to completely ignore the expertise—and safety--of
police officers is irresponsible.
Susan Beckett
Bellport Village
Brookhaven Township is reviewing a
proposal for yet another heavy industrial project in North
Bellport. The proposal is for a truck warehouse comprising 3 large
buildings (over 500,000 sf)
and overnight parking.
To
their own admission, the project could cause the following (this is
an abridged list, please
refer to the attached document for
more):
Deforestation (almost 52 acres)
Erosion
Polluting of streams, ponds, rivers, and lakes
Depletion of water
supply
Degradation of habitat
Loss of endangered species
Light pollution
Application of pesticides
To say nothing
of the various pollutions, atmospheric and noise, the trucks will
bring. To say
nothing of the stress those trucks will cause to
our disintegrating roads. And to say nothing of
the deleterious
effects on the citizens of North Bellport, who would be most
impacted.
We have until June 3 to write our comments to
Brookhaven‘s Senior Environmental Analyst,
Peter Fountaine:
pfountaine@brookhavenny.gov
Please read below for more
details about the scope of this project:
https://www.brookhavenny.gov/DocumentCenter/View/28382/2022-0001-SP-AIREF-StationRoad-Logistics-Draft-Scoping-Document
Jennifer Vorbach
Bellport