The Gateway delay was a costly poke in the eye<\/p>\n
Manhattan: It\u2019s great that work can now resume on the Gateway Tunnel project after Manhattan Federal Judge Jeannette Vargas put an end to the funding stoppage imposed by the Trump administration last October (\u201cTunnel handed $30M<\/a>,\u201d Feb. 14). Work on the project had ceased on Feb. 6, as money was running out, and about 1,000 workers were laid off.<\/p>\n Lawsuits were filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James and New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport. They contended that a new train tunnel is needed under the Hudson River since the existing 116-year-old tunnel is in dire need of repair.<\/p>\n About 200,000 passengers pass through the tunnel each day. This situation probably influenced the judge\u2019s decision on Feb. 6. By Thursday, Feb. 12, the clock had run out on the Trump administration\u2019s request for an appeal.<\/p>\n President Trump\u2019s reason for halting the funding was based on his opposition to DEI \u2014 diversity, equity and inclusion. This position was stated by White House Budget Director Russell Vought last October. Trump and his team contend that diversifying the workforce adversely affects the integrity of a project. This anti-DEI sentiment, which was intended to cancel the Democrat-led project, was very petty, as was Trump\u2019s attempt to put his name on Penn Station in exchange for funding. Darryl P. Miller<\/p>\n Anti-gay<\/p>\n Saugerties, N.Y.: So President Trump, the orange man from Queens, again ordered the Pride flag taken down. There are many, many other queens who see it otherwise. Terry Lanigan<\/p>\n Friendly takeover<\/p>\n Bronx: The state of New York or New York City should purchase the Stonewall National Monument. Problem solved. Kevin Harrington<\/p>\n Policy is proof<\/p>\n Cincinnati: The Big Apple electorate reflects what\u2019s happening elsewhere: polarization. Hizzoner should help salve the wounds, some of them caused by his own reckless statements and lack of compassion for some specific constituents. Many of his voters are young and, like Japanese botanists who intentionally stunt growing trees, are devoid of the knowledge required to comprehend a pulsing metropolis. They respond to simple socialist nostrums as if never having scanned a primer on 20th-century political ideology. In this way at least, the mayor follows in the path of Socrates by corrupting the young. Winning by rallying the na\u00efve and clueless is one thing, but administering a throbbing behemoth is a greater challenge. He\u2019s clever enough to do so, but electoral hemlock awaits should he fail. Paul Bloustein<\/p>\n Union-busted<\/p>\n White Plains, N.Y.: Re \u201cThe best way to build New York\u201d (\u201cAffordable housing, not luxury units<\/a>,\u201d \u201cStreamline the environmental rules<\/a>,\u201d op-ed, Feb. 15): Employing the point\/counterpoint format to confront how to build NYC ignores the skeleton in the closet of NYC construction, namely union costs. Streamlining regulations and having a mix of luxury and affordable housing are both fair and feasible requirements, but not recognizing unions and the resulting costs is unrealistic. NYC will never solve this dilemma as long as unions control the industry. A path unobstructed by unions is the only way to speedy, less expensive and innovative construction projects that abide by regulations and yield both luxury and affordable housing. However, politicians fear union voting power, and renters, landlords and sympathizers are often union folks and align with unions. Chris Lee<\/p>\n True character<\/p>\n Davis, Calif.: Unaware that his microphone was on during a news program break, Jesse Jackson used a crude slang reference to express wanting to cut off Barack Obama\u2019s testicles. When Jackson learned that \u201cThe O\u2019Reilly Factor\u201d would air his comments, he quickly apologized. Compare with Ben Carson, who at 33 was appointed director of pediatric neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins University, becoming the youngest physician in the nation to occupy such a position. Born into poverty, he was reared by a single mother who provided constant encouragement. There is no record of his ever making a prejudiced or crude remark about anyone. Be careful who you accept as a role model. Julia Lutch<\/p>\n Less lethal<\/p>\n Bronx: Families often call for help with a mentally disturbed family member and the call ends up with the police shooting or killing that family member. The police are not to blame, because an individual charging with a weapon presents a deadly, imminent danger. Mentally disturbed people are often not capable of following the directions of police to drop the weapon. A possible solution is equipping police with heavy, metal mesh nets that can be thrown over the person charging with a weapon other than a gun. This alternative may be crude, but wouldn\u2019t it be better than killing the person? The disturbed person is not an animal, but shouldn\u2019t every possibility be used to avoid taking a precious life? Health workers may be helpful at the scene, but they are not trained to handle such dangerous situations. Gilbert M. Lane<\/p>\n The point stands<\/p>\n Bronx: Voicer Michael Abbey\u2019s letter demonstrates how statistics can be manipulated. He\u2019s right about illegal migrants making up approximately 4% of the state\u2019s population. But according to AI overview, only 10% (legal and illegal combined) make up its prison population. It still doesn\u2019t change the fact that the overwhelming majority of those who rape and\/or murder were born here, and the overwhelming majority of illegal migrants work hard for poverty wages while committing no crimes. Richard Warren<\/p>\n Safe online<\/p>\n