Listen to voters
To The Editor:Â
I believe term limits are undemocratic and deny the voters their right to vote for those they feel deserve another term. However, I believe it is even more undemocratic to ignore the people who voted for term limits and have a bunch of petty politicians overruling them through the legislature. This attempt by the New York City Council and the mayor is a self-serving conflict of interest that will only make citizens even more cynical of politicians and the electoral process. If these politicians can’t find a job I could give them a listing of employment agencies they can apply to.  The voters have voted not once, but twice to keep term limits to two terms, both times overwhelmingly. If the council overrides the voters it will make a mockery of our election process.
What I find amazing are those pushing this repeal are self-proclaimed reformers and progressives. This move is worse than any backroom deal made during the days of Tammany Hall. Where have all the true reformers gone? For those that claim they are pushing this issue now because of the economic crisis — hogwash. The council and the mayor have been talking about extending term limits long before our current crisis. The mayor is a very bright and astute individual who has done a good job for New York. He should lend his talents and work with the new administration coming into power, as an advisor, and be part of a task force to help deal with this crisis.
I feel term limits should be repealed by the voters in a referendum. If the council does the right thing and votes to place a referendum on the ballot, I will go door to door and talk to everyone and anyone who will listen and explain to them why I believe term limits are wrong. Should the council vote to overturn or extend term limits, then it is up to each voter in the city to check how their representative voted and act accordingly when they run for their third term. That way, we the people, will enact a true version of term limits.
John A. Fratta
John A. Fratta ran for City Council in Lower Manhattan in 2001.
Green parks, not greenbacks
To The Editor:
Re: “As lawsuit looms, debate on L.E.S. rezoning goes on†by Casey Samulski (news article, Oct. 3 – 9):
Adding to the impact on the neighborhood of more high-rise luxury buildings on Chrystie St. are the shadows that are cast on the narrow Sara Roosevelt Park, which abuts it. This park serves communities from Canal St. to Houston St. It is the backyard, vacation spot, country home and in the summer, the “air conditioning†for those who live in nearby tenements. If you create a chasm of 14-story buildings, you choke off the sunlight that plants and trees require to grow. You also choke off the open sky, which people require to live well.
In this economy, we can’t afford to have our parks be window-box amenities for empty luxury apartments and tourist hotels. We will need our parks to become models of sustainability where we harvest solar power, plant green roofs and oxygen producing greenery, reclaim rainwater run-off and compost and show our citizenry how to recycle trash.
We are going to have to live within our means and build an economy that isn’t about tourism or disposable wealth.
K Webster
Co-chair M’Finda Kalunga Community Garden
