Re: Readers Write: “MTA Passing Up $102 Million,” Feb. 1.
It would be nice if the author provided details on $102,721,479 in grants from L train “improvements” and Metro North Ferry Service. What L train improvements? What Metro North Ferry Service? From where to where? Is it possible a ferry service is not an MTA priority? Is it possible the MTA feels it is better to apply money to something else far more pressing? I don’t know the answer to this. But i can’t possibly form an intelligent opinion based upon the almost total lack of detail provided by the author.
The letter writer goes on to discuss NYC Transit Force Account Employees. Not all of us work(ed) in the transit/transportation industry. What is/are NYCTFAE? A search in Google and Yahoo yields nothing.
In a Bronx newspaper, the author mentions a grant for a local Bronx route. Why doesn’t he include this is the funds the MTA has allegedly not applied for?
In all the years I have been reading letters to the editor in the newspaper, only once did I ever see a government official reply. It was a number of years ago referring to a comment made about one of New York City’s Parks. A number of years ago, the author had an opinion published about then Congressman Gary Ackerman on these very pages. I happen to have agreed with the author. In a follow-up opinion piece the author discussed how the congressman did not address his concerns.
The author is an American, covered by the First Amendment. He has a perfect right to spend every waking hour writing and submitting opinion pieces. But if the author feels so strongly about the MTA’s wasteful spending, why doesn’t he run for state Senate or Assembly? In this capacity he would have subpoena power and attention from the press. It seems to me that this would be more productive than writing letters that are mostly ignored.
Nat Weiner
Bronx
