We understand the U.S. Postal Service has found itself between a rock and a hard place. It is faced with the threat of bankruptcy. To keep that from happening, the USPS has decided to make cuts, limiting service and closing facilities deemed no longer necessary.
There are some post offices that do not process enough mail to justify existence. They should and will be closed. That makes sense.
But it does not make sense to close the USPS sorting facility at 20th Avenue and the Whitestone Expressway service road in College Point.
The USPS has proposed transferring the College Point operation to the sorting facility in Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. State Sen. Toby Stavisky opposes the proposal to close the plant, which she estimated could put more than 1,000 people out of work. She came to this conclusion after talking to the heads of several unions at the plant.
It boggles the mind that the USPS can make a move putting so many people out of work and affecting mail service for a borough bigger than most American cities without soliciting public input.
The USPS said it plans to relocate 700 people working in the College Point facility.
We are skeptical to say the least. How will closing this plant save millions of dollars if workers keep their jobs?
We know the USPS has to make tough decisions, but this does not make sense.
Passengers Need Advocate
In the wake of reports that several elderly women were strip searched at John F. Kennedy International Airport, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer and state Sen. Michael Gianaris have called for an investigation and are proposing that a passenger advocate be placed at every major airport.
In the incidents, elderly women said they were strip searched by airport security without reason. The women were visibly shaken.
We think it is a good idea to have at least one official at each airport who will listen to offended passengers.
