New York is more than Manhattan!

From the vantage point of Kew Gardens Hills in the middle of Queens, Mayor Bloomberg’s PlaNYC2030 does not have much attraction for residents of the boroughs outside of Manhattan.
His prescription for reducing pollution is to impose a tax on accessing Manhattan, where pollution is no worse than in parts of Queens, Brooklyn, the Bronx and Staten Island. We all breathe here in the boroughs.
He wants to up zone low rise, low density non-Manhattan neighborhoods to make room for millions of new New Yorkers.
However, perhaps we unfortunate non-Manhattanites miss the point.
In Mayor Bloomberg’s PlaNYC2030 New York, New Yorker means Manhattanite.
Patricia Dolan, President
Kew Gardens Hills Civic Assoc.

Park pollution is a problem
It was so disappointing when I realized how two-faced our Mayor Michael Bloomberg is. He recently introduced his 25-year plan for a “greener New York.” He asked us to “turn out our lights” and we will pay less for electricity and “pollute less.” I think the mayor’s lights are on but nobody’s home.
How dare he ask us to contribute to lessen pollution while he allows thousands of cars to park on the grassland of Flushing Meadows-Corona Park?
How dare he ask us to preserve energy while The Daily News reported that it costs taxpayers $800 million a year to keep the lights of city buildings on during nighttime hours?
How dare he profess to care about children getting asthma while he allows the emissions from cars parked alongside ball fields in the park?
What about the children who play on the oil and gas spills after those cars leave the park?
I think the mayor is dripping oil!
Has our mayor learned from his political colleagues that he can say one thing to impress us and do another behind our backs? It appears that way. The more people stay quiet the more politicians will con them. Where are the politicians who oversee that park? Are they busy pandering to Tom Cruise and other more important issues like the “N” word than the health of the immigrant children who are at risk in the park? It sure looks that way to me. I have an “N” word for them - narcissistic or nauseating.
I am just so fed up that our communities do not use their voices to remind our politicians that they swore to protect and serve us. Maybe this issue will haunt them when they look for our vote in the near future. I know I will be there to remind them of their lack of care for the people who think they are being PROTECTED AND SERVED by them.
Joyce Shepard, CSW

Lock the creep up!
The alleged granny basher, Jack Rhodes, has been captured which I believe is a great relief for our elderly. It just amazes me though that this lowlife had 14 arrests and spent time in jail for crimes like assault of a police officer, robbery, burglary of churches and drug possession.
My question is why was this creep, clearly a menace to society, walking around free to allegedly mug and the brutally beat 101-year-old Rose Morat and 85-year-old Solange Elizee on March 4?
I hope if convicted he is sentenced to jail for the rest of his natural life for these cowardly acts. Then at least there will be one less animal preying on our elderly.
Frederick R. Bedell Jr.
Bellerose

Real college loan scandal
New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo’s recent crusade concerning college student loans correctly pointed out problems at the beginning of the process, but missed real issues at the end.
Millions of Americans have benefited from being able to attend college on student loans. Sadly, too many stick Uncle Sam with the bill.
Despite being employed for years at good paying jobs, there are tens of thousands who refuse to pay their loans. Taxpayers are left with billions of dollars in uncollected debts.
Since Uncle Sam is now burdened with over $9 trillion in long-term debt, equal attention must be paid to this scandal as well. Why not deny any federal and state tax refunds to those “deadbeats” who look for a free ride at our expense?
Larry Penner
Great Neck

Parents get no respect
By their recent decisions, I feel that Mayor Bloomberg and Chancellor Klein have again demonstrated their utter contempt for the parents of public school students.
Last week, the mayor announced that he had reached an agreement with the United Federation of Teachers and various other groups concerning their latest school reorganization plan - the third shake-up of the Department of Education (DOE) during his tenure.
A published report recently indicated that the Mayor and the Chancellor now plan to give principals the power to “expel” parents who display “negative behavior” from their schools.
I ask - Who will decide what comprises “negative behavior?”
To me, it seems like another way for the present administration to further castrate our parental rights.
Mayor Bloomberg needs to realize that the “public” needs a voice at the table when discussing the “Public School” system. This Mayor and Chancellor have successfully limited the influence that parents have over the system - a system responsible for educating the city’s 1.1 million children. Let us put the Public back into the Public Schools - communities need to have a voice.
Mayor Bloomberg, remember - We want to help - they are our children.
David M. Quintana
Co-President -M.S. 210 Parent’s Association
Recording Secretary – District 27 - Council of PA Presidents
District 27 Representative to CPAC
Member Community Board 10 Education Committee
Attendee Queens Borough President’s Parents Advisory Council
Ozone Park