Northeast Philadelphia residents discuss speed cameras, the closing local libraries and the upcoming election.
Editor’s note: Letters to the Editor and the editorial cartoon are a matter of opinion and are not intented to reflect the views of the Northeast Times’ staff.
Bravo to speed cameras
In response to Tom McCarey’s Letter to the Editor, “Speed cameras a money grab,” published in the Northeast Times on Oct. 17:
As a resident of Northeast Philadelphia for over 30 years, I can assure Tom McCarey that the current red light cameras installed along Roosevelt Boulevard at high traffic intersections with designated left turn lanes are a complete success.
Prior to the cameras, crossing Roosevelt Boulevard at the intersection of Rhawn Street was frustrating at best (red light cameras are at several intersections). Rarely did the crossing cars making a turn onto the outer lanes of the 12-lane highway stop on yellow lights or even red lights. This caused a backup of traffic, often prohibiting the designated left inner lane vehicles to proceed with their turn. After the red light cameras were installed, the problem was solved. Now, drivers actually stop on the yellow.
With Senate Bill 172, authorizing speed cameras along Roosevelt Boulevard, the result will be equally successful. When drivers know that cameras will record their excessive speeds, which will result in a moving violation, they will obey traffic laws. Tom McCarey states that the “speeding crisis and work zone crisis do not exist and that they were invented by the camera profiteers” — he hasn’t driven along Roosevelt Boulevard.
Drivers have passed me driving 60–70 miles per hour to speed to the next traffic light. This occurs all day, seven days a week. The stretch of highway goes through residential Northeast Philadelphia. It has become a raceway and extremely dangerous. As for the “money grab” — tax dollars spent for the safety of drivers and pedestrians is money well spent.
Linda Townsend
Winchester Park
Money mismanagement
Does anyone in City Hall talk to each other? Sir Taxalot Kenney and Council make a deal on the low-income housing issue. They will use the tax abatement money.
Meanwhile, Council is trying to repeal the tax abatement bill. The taxpayers of Philadelphia were waiting to receive the $53 million in tax abatement money and poof, it’s gone. Once any tax money hits the black hole of the general fund, it will never be seen again. Kenney and City Council run the city like a bad financial marriage “There must be money left because we still have checks”). By the way, did we find the missing $33 million yet? If you want to see your taxes keep going up, keep electing these mental midgets.
Richard Donofry
East Torresdale
Open local libraries
Under the Free Library of Philadelphia president and director’s stewardship — double titles evidence a salary bump ($204,219 in 2016) — Times readers enjoy a choice among branches.
We have “Sorry for the Inconvenience” Library on Torresdale Avenue and Frankford Avenue’s “Delayed Opening Library.”
Castor Avenue’s library has been shuttered Saturdays for years despite its posted, marble-carved vow to honor Dr. Bushrod James’ bequest by “serving children and the elderly.”
Northeast Regional was locked awaiting an air conditioner part apparently manufactured only during months spelled with no “r.”
Siobhan A. Reardon promised to advance literacy, guide learning and inspire curiosity. Imagine how much closer to these worthy goals if our libraries opened their doors instead of crafting reasons not to.
Boston school-leaver, University of Pennsylvania founder and internationally recognized local smarty-pants Ben Franklin pondered, “What good a sundial in the shade?”
Jerry Briggs
Mayfair
Insurance for all
Fix the health bill. People are suffering and dying from lack of care and medicines. The old, the disabled, veterans… Why can’t we have health care like England and Canada?
Health, food and shelter should be for all people. What good is a country if all of us are ill? Where is your compassion? Fix our health bill now to help all people.
Mary Ann Cash
Morrisville
Daryl will get job done
I have known Daryl Boling for over 17 years, as a friend, fellow artist and community leader. A gifted and empathetic person, Daryl led a successful theater company in the highly competitive world of New York City theater. He did it all, from performance to design, from directing to promotions, and forged hundreds of relationships with government officials, nonprofits, activists and artists.
Daryl is a highly competent consensus builder, setting and achieving goals, maximizing mutual benefits, while cultivating respect for all. He is that rare person who can turn wishes into action, and energize a constituency.
However, Daryl’s greatest asset is his humanity, making sure that all are valued, heard and treated fairly. He is committed to making a better world not just for his family, but for his neighbors, friends and community.
The theater’s loss is a boon to Pennsylvania’s government. In Daryl, people will get an advocate who will get the job done, creatively, but without drama.
I recommend him without reservation.
Vincent Marano
Assistant Principal, Hostos Lincoln Academy of Science
Please do not go back
Please do not forget a few things before voting.
For many years, we watched and felt the middle class shrink. Not because people were climbing up, but instead sinking down.
We watched wages fall and standard of living dive. No matter how hard we worked and cut, we still had less.
Taxes continued to explode in the city and state, shrinking what we had. Our kids pursued college degrees, ran up massive debt and were guaranteed great jobs that did not happen.
We were told by President Obama that those jobs that left the country are not coming back. All this despair has contributed to a massive opioid addiction to millions of hard-working people for whom the American dream became a hopeless dream.
Along comes Trump with a basic message, elect me and I will help, not the citizens of the world, but all the citizens of the U.S. And he meant it.
He tells companies if you make product here, we will lower your taxes and will cut unnecessary regulation that makes it too expensive to stay and hire Americans. He then cuts middle-class taxes. The average middle-class family gets to keep $2,500 more a year of their own money, not the government.
What happened? Lowest unemployment rate in 50 years. Highest employed rate among black and Hispanic citizens ever. The standard of living up for the first time in 30 years. Nearly half-million manufacturing jobs have returned.
The U.S. is now the largest energy producer in the world with all those well-paying jobs from this sector. These are the reasons people like Kanye West love our president.
Yet, you are told every day by a biased, one-sided media and Democratic Party that Trump and Republicans are haters because he wants to stop illegal immigration, which drives down wages for many jobs, and high-tech foreign worker visas that allow companies to hire cheaper labor as our college grads cannot get good-paying jobs.
Truth is, we, the U.S., allow over 1 million immigrants a year legally. No other country on the face of the earth is more generous.
The reason is clear why the Democrats want massive illegal immigration and high-tech cheap labor. Because if you can’t get American people to vote for your high-tax, job-killing , foster-dependency policies, then get new people who will.
Create more poor, so totally dependent on the government they will be forced to vote for measly handouts that will keep them poor and hopeless the rest of their lives. So the Democrats have one message this election. Not we will make U.S. citizens’ lives better. No, the message is we hate Trump and we bring back all the policies that will keep you, or make you, totally dependent on government for handouts.
Don’t believe me? Please take a trip to California, where Republicans are rarer than unicorns. You will see basically two classes now, the outrageously wealthy and extreme poor.
Even the Trump-hating New York Times wrote about this on July 5. The former middle class, hundreds of thousands, are either living on the streets everywhere, you cannot miss them. Or they have left the state, flocking to places like Texas that has been booming for years under pro-job growth, low-tax, low-regulation policies.
Keep the hope rolling.
Tom Lacey
Holmesburg
He supports Tom Murt
I have very good reasons for supporting the re-election of Thomas Murt (R- 152nd dist.). When questions began to arise about the Pennsylvania production of Jon & Kate +8, he took the time to get educated about the realities facing children working in the entertainment industry, not just in his home state, but across the country.
It takes both character and courage to tackle an important segment of your commonwealth’s economy. As a veteran, Rep. Murt has both. When he learned that no state authority…in six years…had visited the company using eight children in the most-watched cable show on television, he began to ask questions. The sad truth was that Pennsylvania had child labor laws in place but no one was enforcing them or providing oversight to protect the eight Gosselin children.
A legislative solution was needed, and Rep. Murt carefully set out to provide the leadership required. The former kid stars from A Minor Consideration were proud to help craft the successful legislation.
It has been my personal pleasure to come to know Thomas Murt as a man, a father and a friend. His heart is clearly with those whose voice often goes unheard. I urge the people of the 152nd District to return Thomas Murt to the Legislature.
Paul Petersen
Chairman Emeritus, A Minor Consideration
Boyle all about politics
Since I have been following the race for the 2nd Congressional District, I have noticed Congressman Boyle is more about the politics and less about the people. He has voted against everything put forth by the Republicans and the president. He voted against the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, along with the VA MISSION Act.
The congressman has simply taken the side of political belief over the best interest of the people of the 2nd Congressional District. Brendan Boyle has yet to answer to why he has voted against the veterans. I guess he feels that he owes no one an explanation.
David Lee
Chalfont
An agent of change
It is my pleasure to endorse Daryl Boling for state representative in District 152. I have known Daryl for nearly two decades, beginning when we were founding partners together at Manhattan Theatre Source, a nonprofit arts service and producing organization in New York’s West Village. Daryl worked tirelessly to bring that vision to fruition, at significant personal sacrifice. He left a lucrative job and regularly put in 14-hour days doing anything that needed to be done to help lift underserved voices in New York’s creative community. He was resourceful and dedicated to stretching our tiny budget and was never afraid to get his hands dirty.
During his time at Theatre Source, and after, Daryl has proven himself to be an effective, passionate leader who can work with a wide variety of personalities, opinions and backgrounds. He has never shied away from doing the right thing and standing up for the principles in which he believes. He is a strong advocate for education, inclusion, women’s rights, justice, compassion and fair play. He cares about the welfare of all in his community, and I know he will work hard to make life better for everyone in his district and throughout Pennsylvania.
In addition to being a strong leader, Daryl is a dedicated family man and wonderful, attentive father to his three children. He came from humble beginnings and has overcome many obstacles in his personal journey. I can think of no better person to stand up for marginalized, struggling constituents and bring sensible, honest and solution-driven ideas to the Pennsylvania legislature. I cannot recommend him highly enough as an agent of change, hope and integrity.
Fiona Jones
Creative Director, Dream Out Loud Media
