One island punished for another’s traffic

Manhattan: As congestion pricing rolls out across New York City, one neighborhood has been completely forgotten in the crosshairs: Roosevelt Island. Its residents face a unique geographic reality. Our only vehicular connection to the rest of NYC is the Roosevelt Island Bridge, which deposits us directly into Astoria, Queens. We are not located within the Manhattan Central Business District tolling zone. However, for residents who must cross into Manhattan to access vital services, jobs or medical care, our natural route is the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge.

Because of the current placement of the MTA’s license plate readers, Roosevelt Island and Queens residents are being hit with an unfair toll just to access a historically free bridge, even if they have no intention of driving through the downtown congestion zone. For working people, patient care coordinators and families who rely on this crossing for their daily commutes, this toll is a crushing financial burden rather than a solution to traffic. The state must show compassion for the unique geography of our neighborhood. The simple and fair resolution is to move the plate readers a block over to the bridge entrance itself. This would allow residents to utilize the Queensboro Bridge freely without being penalized for a congestion zone they are not even entering.

I urge our city and state representatives, the MTA and Gov. Hochul to look at the map, recognize this oversight and adjust the tolling boundaries to protect Roosevelt Island and Queens drivers.

Shamecca Ruiz

Running late

Brooklyn: As warmer weather lasts longer each fall, the timing of the New York City Marathon shows us climate change at work. The first marathon was held on Sept. 13, 1970. In 1972, it moved to Oct. 1. In 1976, it moved to the third weekend in October. Since 1988, it has been held the first weekend in November. It will inevitably have to move to a later date yet again as relentless global warming continues. Most Americans want the government to do something about climate change, but Bruce Blakeman, the President Trump ally running in the New York governor’s race, has said he “doesn’t know if climate change is real.” Really? Hochul has my vote.

Joanne Boger

Insulted

West Hempstead, L.I.: To Voicer Michael J. Gorman: I’m a retired NYPD officer. I take offense to your words “the worst cowards and morons in the nation are those in the military and police officers (and retired) who support President Trump.” Police officers and military put their lives on the line every day. Are they cowards when they go on a gun run, or to war defending our nation? Or during 9/11, when so many lost their lives trying to save others, or died years later from exposure to toxic dust? You continued, “Are you stupid, or as corrupt as he is?” I don’t approve of everything Trump does. I wasn’t happy when he pardoned everyone from Jan. 6. Anyone who assaulted the police shouldn’t have been pardoned. It’s a tool the president uses, just like Joe Biden pardoned his son Hunter and Anthony Fauci.

Frank Feeley

Good for them

Redondo Beach, Calif.: Trump says the Iran war is great because Big Oil is making a fortune.

John Chevedden

Still a supporter

New Rochelle, N.Y.: To all you jerks who keep calling our president an idiot, and to all the press that does the same daily, my family and I sleep very well knowing he’s awake at the phone. I might not have two eyes and two legs, but I trust and love our 47. I’m 85 and I thank God for him.

Dom Mastropolo

Made for the movies

Brooklyn: I remember in the movie “Back to the Future,” when Michael J. Fox’s character travels back in time, he meets his friend Doc and is asked who the president is in the future. When told it is Ronald Reagan, Doc replies, “The actor? Then who’s vice-president, Jerry Lewis? I suppose Jane Wyman is the first lady! And Jack Benny is secretary of the Treasury!” Well, when studying our era, future generations will ask if Trump was your president, who was secretary of the treasury, Bernie Madoff? We are living in bizarre times.

Benjamin Brether

Trauma trigger

Great Neck, L.I.: Every day, without exception, this man in the White House makes me feel like it is another Nov. 22, 1963. I believe my inference here is beyond clear.

Nadine Feingold

Graceless in victory

Henderson, Nev.: When Abdul El-Sayed defeated Haley Stevens in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, Stevens graciously conceded and urged her supporters to unite behind him in the general election. Such generosity in defeat is rare in today’s political climate, and Stevens deserves credit for demonstrating it. How has he repaid her? When Stevens raised concerns about comments she considered hurtful to Jewish Americans and asked him to address them, El-Sayed dismissed her concerns as an attempt to “re-litigate a primary that ended three months ago.” Also, he doesn’t want her at any campaign events. So much for unity and sportsmanship. El-Sayed has failed to show basic respect to the woman who conceded and urged her supporters to vote for him. Stevens deserves consideration for the JFK Profile in Courage Award. As for El-Sayed, perhaps someone should establish a companion honor: the JFK Profile in Cowardice Award. He’d certainly merit consideration.

David Tulanian

Regurgitated junk

Bergenfield, N.J.: To Voicer Lloyd A. Cohen: Thank you for sharing your views on socialism, but did you have to drink all the Kool-Aid? Couldn’t you leave a sip for someone else!?

Al Schwarzler

Democracy manifest

Jersey City: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s outrageous accusation that Palestinian citizens of Israel somehow stole Tuesday’s election, where all but 20% of Israeli citizens voted against his Likud Party, isn’t only scandalous and blatantly racist, but a supreme test of the claim that Israel is the democracy we’re constantly told it is. The only way Palestinians “stole” this election is the way Democrats in the U.S. are “stealing” the midterms: by turning out in record numbers to vote in response to the corrupt actions of an out-of-control administration that’s been blatantly ignoring domestic and international law. True friends of Israel applaud the demonstration by the overwhelming majority of its citizens that the attempted genocide (supposedly in response to the inexcusable Oct. 7 attack by Hamas) has not been the work of the people of Israel, but a criminal minority clinging to power by the misuse of its war powers.

John Esche

Better ban

Manhattan: A young man dies because a horse gets spooked. Hundreds of people lose jobs. Horses are taken from Central Park. People are dying regularly from lithium-ion batteries and people are being disfigured. Will those batteries be banned from Central Park? Or anywhere else?

Raymond McEaddy