By Joseph Gravagna, Whitestone
I am writing in response to your Aug. 21 editorial “Big Brother Rides Again.” You are correct that the law fining stores that leave their air conditioning on with their doors open is absurd. You have begun, however, to touch on a much larger issue facing our city.
The City Council ignores real city problems and hurts small to mid-size businesses struggling in the current economy. Furthermore, such issues as creating after-school programs, opening more senior centers and improving quality-of-life issues, go unaddressed.
In the current economy, small to mid-size businesses are going out of business daily. The current Council seeks to hurt low and middle-class New York by making it impossible to do business in the city.
These New Yorkers are struggling to make a living and put their children through college. Instead of focusing on legislation that would make New Yorkers' lives easier, the Council continues to pass frivolous legislation.
This is why city residents have voted for term limits on several occasions. A few career politicians in City Hall, however, seek to repeal term limits and deny a fresh voice to enter the Council. New Yorkers need change in the Council in 2009 to protect middle class New Yorkers in the current economy.
The Council, however, has told middle class business owners it is more important to pander to special interest groups instead of protecting middle class New York. Furthermore, overburdened taxpayers have been taxed beyond their means.
Politician James Otis once said, “Taxation without representation is tyranny.”
