Letters to the Editor for Aug. 19

Time to set the record straight on state employees

With the recent announcement of the New York state budget deficit, there have been numerous negative comments concerning state employees. As a rank-and-file career employee with New York state, I would like to express my comments.

First of all, the average state worker does not earn $100,000 a year but between $40,000 and $45,000, and yes, we pay our share of health insurance premiums each pay period as well as the required co-payment for hospital visits, lab tests and prescription drugs. Like any other citizen, we pay our share of state and federal taxes and Social Security. To the contrary, we do work and care about the people of this state that we serve.

For years, state employees have been the object of jokes on the radio, television, newspapers and other forms of media, many of them humorous and entertaining but many insulting and hurtful. It seems that state employees are never credited for the good they attempt to do for the communities they live in, such as the State Employee Federated Appeal (where thousands of dollars are raised each year from our salaries for various charities and organizations), the adopt-a-family and clothe-a-child programs, as well as the food drives, to name but a few. In addition, many of my co-workers participate in various community activities on their own time to help those in need.

As for the comments constantly made that state workers do nothing each day, I have been looking for that type of position for over 30 years and they do not exist. We work each day and we do care about the people we serve. Any time that we take off for personal reasons, illness or vacations is charged to the leave credits we have earned by working each day.

In closing, I can say I am proud to be a state worker and I am proud of my co-workers.

Richard Federici

Waterford

Too early to be so picky about hospital proposal

There is currently a proposal before the Halfmoon Town Board for the Halfmoon Healthcare and Biomedical Research Campus, a complex containing a hospital, including a 24-hour emergency room, and a medical research facility [Aug. 10 Gazette]. At the moment, the developers are seeking a zoning change that would allow the project to move into a phase where the important issues could be addressed and a hospital could be sought to occupy the property.

This project has been bounced back and forth between the town board and the zoning board for years, and the town board has insisted on asking many questions that seem to be inappropriately specific for a project at this stage of development. This over-critiquing at an early stage has brought progress on the hospital project to a virtual standstill.

While I think that the benefit to our community that a hospital represents far outweighs any possible negative consequences one might bring, the more appropriate conversation to be having right now is whether or not a hospital is an appropriate use of the property in question. The parcel is located on the south side of Route 146, a little over a mile east of the Route 9 intersection and next to the D&R Village mobile home park. A quick look at the town-approved 2003 Comprehensive Plan shows that the ultimate goal for the entire Route 146 corridor is to develop the properties adjacent (including this parcel) into “mixed business/commercial and office park.” This hospital complex seems to fit nicely within that description.

It seems common sense to me to move forward with a zoning change that would allow the developers to move the hospital project into the next phase where legitimate questions about traffic, wetlands mitigation, storm water management and a myriad of other important issues can be properly addressed. At this point it’s merely a question of zoning and the town board has been dragging their feet.

I would urge anyone that supports the idea of having a hospital in our community to attend the public hearing on Tuesday, Aug. 19 at 7 p.m. at the Halfmoon Town Hall to voice your opinion.

Justin Rathman

Halfmoon

The writer is the town of Halfmoon Democratic Committee Chairman.

Erie Canal in Rotterdam Junction not what it was

I really enjoyed your Aug. 10 story on the history of Rotterdam Junction.

I grew up in Rotterdam Junction. We lived in an historic old house setting along the Erie Canal. It was originally a boarding house for the travelers on the canal and for the mule tenders that pulled the boats along the towpath. We spent our winters ice skating and playing hockey with the kids in town; summers were spent floating around on homemade boats and fishing.

I am sad to say that the Erie Canal, with all its history, has turned into a real eyesore. The auto junkyard located on the banks of the canal in lower Rotterdam Junction has turned a beautiful waterway into a polluted uninhabitable mess. The oil, gas, battery acid and whatever else was contained in the hundreds of cars that line the canal bank have leached into the water for over 30 years.

The canal is so contaminated that the beaver and fish are all gone. This is visible from the bicycle path along Mabie Lane. The weeds and undergrowth make it hard to see in the summer, but it’s all there. The canal empties into the Mohawk River, and also the Rotterdam aquifer. How this has been tolerated all these years is beyond belief. Everyone talks about how bad it is, but no one does anything about it. This is a piece of our history; it could be a beautiful park and picnic area.

I don’t believe the town of Rotterdam realizes what a prize it is losing.

Marty Shanty

Charlton

Park arrests are great, no thanks to photographer

Re Aug. 14 article, “Video helps police make three arrests”: Thanks to the Schenectady Police Department and state police for their Central Park public lewdness arrests.

Central Park is a jewel in our city and should never be marred by activities that endanger or degrade any family’s enjoyment of the park. To anyone using the park, call in suspicious activity. To the person who made the anonymous “YouTube pervert” video mentioned in the Gazette article, I believe you are involved, and if so, you are a cretin and a coward.

John Rizzo

Schenectady

It’s not the staff that is the problem at Tryon

Re Aug. 8 article, “Feds probe Tryon Center”: Edward Borges, director of communications for the Office of Children and Family Services, continues to mislead the public about the situation at Tryon Residential Center and other (OCFS) facilities.

Not only did OCFS know months ago about the Gruder incident [where an employee was struck by a female student], complete with color photos of the injured employee’s severe bruising, but Borges has the audacity to insinuate that employees are to blame for their own injuries. The problem is not employee resistance to a change in philosophy. The problem is mismanagement of the facilities, including understaffing, inadequate staff training for residents’ special needs and failing to maintain a structured environment for these troubled youth.

No doubt Mr. Borges will next try to convince the public that these same youth who are beating up staff and intimidating other youth would be better served in the community.

Tom Comanzo

Albany

Church should not promote sinful activities

For a long time, now, I’ve had a big question for the Catholic churches in this region. Like, for instance, Our Lady of Assumption or Mount Carmel.

Why does a big feast go on every year with a lot of gambling and drinking? Yes, of course, there’s fun things to do, like games, entertainment, rides, fried dough, good food, drinking and betting your money. But, wait, alcohol and gambling are definitely a sin in God’s eyes. I’ve been a believer and saved over 10 years now, and was always taught what the sinful things in life are.

What kind of example are we setting for those who don’t believe?

Rebecca DeSantis

Rotterdam Junction

Don’t cut welfare budget, crack down on fraud

Re Aug. 17 article, “Paterson’s tax cap proposal criticized”: If the governor wants to save $1 billion by taking it out of the Medicaid and social services budget, just hire more investigators to crack down on fraud and there is your billion. You won’t have to cut anything.

Clif Tygert

Scotia

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August 19, 2008
4:41 a.m.

[ Suggest removal ]

coachmike ( no real name given ) says...

Church sin(Roman Catholics)..Rebecca, I have been saved also for some time, and the first thing you realize about the catholic church is they are like the Pharisees of the past, they do what they want in the name of the Lord,but committ whatever sin they want to be men pleasers.They are totally ignorant of scriptures but since the largest population of any religion you can tell that they have the largest following of those who are brought into the mass ignorance of people living in sin. Drunkeness and Gambling are sinful, but no one will argue with the Roman Catholic way. Rebecca , don't be discouraged but keep in prayer that many there will be saved.