Albany, please help us!
To The Editor:
Re “Met Food, low-cost grocer, meets its end on Mulberry” (news article, Dec. 29):
If the members of the City Council are unable to pass a law protecting our neighborhood stores, can we ask the state legislators to help us? New York State, as well as New York City, needs commercial rent control, or else there will no longer be shoemakers, tailors, groceries, delis, etc. left in our state.
The hunger for more profits by real estate firms and landlords is excessive. Apparently, we’re in an era of unaffordability, with ineffective politicians who masquerade as our advocates but work against us.
Margaret Chin and Christine Quinn spent years manipulating our neighborhoods to bring us luxury housing in place of our hospital (St. Vincent’s) and also New York University’s oversized “N.Y.U. 2031”project, which gave our public lands away.
It’s time for change and certainly more than time for a commercial rent-control law.
Sylvia Rackow
Keep on crying, lefties!
To The Editor:
Re “Countdown to democracy’s death; It’s so quiet” (Global Village, by Bill Weinberg, Jan. 5):
I see you are still publishing Bill Whine-berg’s work. Hahaha.
What is it with the lefties who cannot reconcile themselves to the next president of the U.S.A.? I laugh each and every day that Donald is the president-elect, and two weeks hence he will take office.
Whine can whine all he wants — too bad.
Bert Zackim
Causing a row at Pier 40
To The Editor:
Re “ ‘Up in the air’: How big will rebuilt Pier 40 be?” (news article, Dec. 29):
Village Community Boathouse applauds the success of Tobi Bergman and the Community Board 2 working group in winning City Council approval for the St. John’s project.
The article mentions local youth sports leagues working with the Hudson River Park Trust and local politicians to secure the deal, but overlooks the contributions of Village Community Boathouse, the last remaining boathouse on Pier 40 that offers free physical access to the water.
Village Community Boathouse occupies a spot on the south side of Pier 40 where we build and row traditional wooden boats, and put thousands of local residents, high school students and international visitors on the water every year. In addition, we run rowing and boatbuilding programs, providing educational opportunities to New York City high school and college groups. V.C.B. offers free public rowing and a literal connection to the waterways that make up most of Hudson River Park.
Therefore, we urge C.B. 2, the Trust, Pier 40 stakeholders and elected officials to work with the community to preserve free public rowing from the south side of Pier 40, whatever the plan for the development of the pier.
Sally Curtis
Curtis is president, Village Community Boathouse
Stumped by Trump, marching
To The Editor:
Re “Do not go gentle!… Poets strike against Trump on Jan. 15” (talking point, by Alan Kaufman, Jan. 6, thevillager.com):
It feels like all the progress we have made on women’s rights is about to be washed away — as if no progress has ever been made at all. It makes the established norm seemingly only an illusion. The insulting election outcome in November still remains mindboggling to me.
The Women’s March on Jan. 21 in Washington is a national movement for women, men and children who stand for human rights, civil liberties, diversity and compassion for shared humanity.
Cynthia Hoopes
E-mail letters, not longer than 250 words in length, to news@thevillager.com or fax to 212-229-2790 or mail to The Villager, Letters to the Editor, 1 Metrotech North, 10th floor, Brooklyn, NY, NY 11201. Please include phone number for confirmation purposes. The Villager reserves the right to edit letters for space, grammar, clarity and libel. Anonymous letters will not be published.
