(letters from August 31, 2006)

Dear Editor,
On August 22 Onteora school board members voted not to vote on the Large Parcel Bill that would have equalized tax rates in all of the Towns. In effect that was the same as the bill being defeated. The vote was 4 to 3 against voting for the Bill. The board agreed that by not voting on the Bill it would send a signal to the New York State legislature that they felt that this type of legislation fractures the cohesiveness of the school district and that no school district should be involved in political issues. Last year they thought voting for the Large Parcel Bill was the right thing to do. Do they really think that the State is going to change their ruling or is there another reason why they didn’t want to see the Bill passed? Three of the four trustees that voted not to vote on the Bill live in the Town of Olive. As reported residents of Olive will see a $7.77 per $1000.00 in assessed value, but if the board had voted for the Large Parcel Bill Olive residents would have paid $9.92 per $1000.00 assessed value. Based on $1000.00 of assessed value, Woodstock will pay $11.60, Shandaken $42.05, Lexington $13.55, Marbletown $10.62, Hurley $10.47. If the Bill had passed all Towns would have seen a decrease in what they paid per $1000.00 of assessed value. What’s going on here?

Board President Marino D’Orazio said that it was his duty as a school board trustee to see that taxes were applied fairly and equitably. I thought that it was the responsibility of all the trustees to see that all Towns were to be treated fairly and equitably. He went on to say that if a house is valued at $100,000.00 it should be taxed at the same rate as another house of the same value regardless of which town the property is located. For many years the Town of Olive paid very low taxes while the rest of the Towns made up the total cost of the school district's expenses.
William Warnecke
Glenford, NY

Dear Editor,
Congressman Hinchey and State Comptroller Hevesi are out of the loop. They have based their latest attempt to derail the Belleayre Resort on out of date information. I would like to bring you, and them, up to speed.
Two months ago, the regional EPA administrator wrote a letter to a group of NYC Congressmen, calling for "a constructive dialogue meant to seek consensus...that would provide for resolution of the long-standing disagreements that have surrounded this project." We couldn't agree more!
With than in mind, we recently met with various officers from the EPA and laid out new concepts to explore. The regional director, after learning of these concepts, said that he is reserving judgment until he sees for himself what our new direction might mean economically and environmentally. For now, he is no longer supporting the Hinchey "Compromise."
All of this took place long before Congressman Hinchey sent a press release last week, belatedly trumpeting the EPA's support of his plan. It seems he even convinced Comptroller Hevesi that his plan was gaining momentum. He was wrong to do so. From what we can see, there is no spirit of compromise coming from the Hinchey camp. His plan is an ultimatum, not a compromise. And it is Ulster County and the town of Shandaken that will suffer the most, as his plan calls for the elimination of several million in annual tax revenue and hundreds of well-paying, full-time jobs.
I should explain why we aren't announcing our new concepts to you. It is because they are exactly that...concepts. We are continuing our talks with key regulatory agencies. If they don't approve new plans, then there is no need to announce something that has no chance of seeing the light of day. When we are confident that we have even tentative support from the regulatory agencies, we will then meet with environmental, business and government leaders to lay out the new future of the Belleayre Resort. Stay tuned!
To date, we are still embroiled in a lengthy environmental review process as required by the State. Mr. Hinchey is not part of that process. Mr. Hevesi is not part of the process. It would be well for them to stop roiling the waters -- it is they, not us, who are kicking up dirt and generating turbidity.
Paul Rakov
Crossroads Ventures
Mt. Tremper, NY

Dear Editor,
As many of you know by now, we're in Iraq for as long as our leader stays in office. That's what he said in his news conference on Monday. To quote: "We’re not leaving [Iraq] so long as I’m the President. That would be a huge mistake.” Bush leaves office in January 2009. Only 2-1/2 years from now.
He also stated that 'The terrorists attacked us and killed 3,000 of our citizens before we started the freedom agenda in the Middle East." When asked specifically, what Iraq had to do with 911 he replied: "Nothing, except for it's part of -- and nobody's ever suggested in this administration that Saddam Hussein ordered the attack. Iraq was a -- the lesson of September the 11th is take threats before they fully materialize. Nobody has ever suggested that the attacks of September 11th were ordered by Iraq".
He never said that Saddam Hussein was involved in the bringing down of the WTC. Well, I'm glad he made that clear, now that we know that we're in Iraq for more than 2 years, in the midst of a Civil War. Doesn't that just make you want to ask your kids to enlist? Speaking of enlisting, how long do you think it will be before our leader brings back the draft? Now that he is supremely comfortable in his position of an unchallenged leader of all branches of government and the army, I'll wager that it won't take too long.
But, we still have an election coming up in Nov. Now, what would you say our chances are of taking back the House, and thereby one branch of government? Slim to none, I feel in my heart, however I have no choice but to continue fighting.
After all, I was raised in a democracy and I was blessed. I owe it to my country to continue to ask my fellow patriots for their participation. Although I am against the present policy of money buying the media and thereby winning elections, so long as it is still in place, it seems our only chance. So, I'm going to point out today, that the DNC is raising money for the upcoming elections on their site. http://www.democrats.org/
Now is the time for later, who knows what this country will look like. For all we know, our leaders are believers in the Rapture and trying to bring about the end of life on earth. Anything is possible.
Therefore, I promise to change some of my ways. For instance, now, when I meet someone who believes that Iraq had WMD's and had something to do with 911, I will not scream and yell at them, (or at least I will try). Now, instead, I will memorize our leader's statement and let them know that the admitted that Saddam Hussein had nothing to do with 911. I will then point out to them that there is a waiting line of Middle Eastern leaders that are waiting to show the world how much they hate us, which was not the situation before our war against Iraq. I will point out to them that we are in much greater danger now, than we were before we'd entered into this ill advised war.
For the sake of our children and our Grandchildren a reminder to all that Democracy is not a Spectator Sport.
Jill Paperno
Glenford, NY

Dear Editor,
In your 3 August 2006 issue there are two references to the current situation in the Middle East which need addressing: in "New Thermos" Gus Murphy takes a not-very-subtle swipe at Israel ("Children and peacekeepers killed"), while in a letter to the editor, Jill Paperno repeats verbatim a bunch of anti-Israel rhetoric without so much as an attempt to be subtle. I need to comment on both.
Mr. Murphy makes reference to what one must assume he means "innocents" being "killed", yet he does not deign to address how many innocent Israelis are also being killed. One has to wonder, as I do, just what Mr. Murphy's point was.
Ms. Paperno cites what she seems to believe are impartial, perhaps objective, and seemingly reliable, sources in her irresponsible diatribe against Israel. As for the "kidnapping" of Hamas members, does she actually think that the Israeli incursion into Gaza to imprison the two individuals she refers to was in fact the very first action? Does she not know why Israel would enter hostile territory? In fact, Israeli agents enter hostile territory to neutralize, if not eliminate, threats against its citizens and its very existence. Hamas, and, until recently, the so-called Palestinian Authority, have had clauses in their charters (I hesitate to use the term "constitution" herein) calling for the elimination of the Jewish state. As does Hezbollah. None of these organizations, nor their sponsors, hide the fact they hate Jews.
Why would the Jewish state, or any other state, not seek to neutralize or eliminate such dire threats to the lives of their citizens, or itself?
If there were people in Woodstock shooting weapons and missiles against the citizens of Glenford, would Ms. Paperno expect anyone to believe she would not be petitioning her representatives to neutralize, or eliminate, such threats?
Israel only seeks to be a homeland for Jews. There is no other place in the world, not in Europe, not in Arabia, nowhere else, where Jews are not under threat. Why should not Israel seek to eliminate any and all threats to its citizens or its very existence as a nation?
If the members of Hamas and Hezbollah were to stop threatening -- as does the patron of Hezbollah, the president of Iran -- to wipe the State of Israel from the face of the earth, then Israel would not need to neutralize, let alone eliminate, them.
Let Mr. Murphy and Ms. Paperno keep in mind that being anti-Israeli does not constitute being objective. Jews and Israelis simply want their enemies to leave them alone. But those enemies and sympathizers must remember that Jews and Israelis will never again let their enemies believe that Jews will go to their slaughter easily or silently.
S. Weir
Chichester, NY

Dear Editor,
Have you noticed the pervasive and continuing graft and corruption that has become the norm in the Bush administration for the past six plus years?
I am not sure just where it began until Halliburton came along with it's 63 million dollar fraud in the "Mess Hall" debacle. Then it was Brown, Root a subsidiary of Halliburton with it's Fuel scheme in which gasoline for our military mission in Iraq was purchased for roughly 38 cents per gallon in Kuwait, transported to Iraq where the US military paid in excess of $3.00 per gallon delivered [ABC, CBS & NBC]. Another source is a Kuwaiti with whom I converse many mornings on "Paltalk", a computer voice connection not unlike Amateur Radio of old. She informs me that gasoline at the pump in Kuwait is 32 cents [US] per standard gallon [not per litre].
Halliburton's "no bid" contract was terminated while DoD collected the 63 million [no penalty]. Halliburton is back at the same "stand" doing the people's [and Bush's] business as I write [PBS].
Then we have the theft of millions of dollars for unfulfilled service in the "security" game in Iraq. "Blackwater" was fired but the Bush administration gave them a gift and in turn Blackwater quit while they were ahead. Other pseudo security "start-ups" also bailed out after receiving "earnest " money, government equipment and surplus military hardware [CBS, 60 Min].
Even the poorest of the poor; the US Coast Guard is being ripped off with the benevolent blessing of the DHS [Dept. of Homeland Security] via Lockheed Martin. My source is "The Navy Times" dated August 21, 2006 in which appears a report of a "whistle blower" who was a software engineer for Lockheed Martin. He was concerned that in his capacity he had found surveillance and communications systems being installed in the new 123 foot patrol boats are not meeting the CG's specs and i would add that the contract is not being fulfilled as stated.
It seems that the vessel's command, control, communications, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems are being compromised all for the sake of a few paltry dollars. For the above equipment to function properly and as designed, shielded cable must be used as opposed to ordinary "lamp" cord. As a current licensed HAM [Tech class] WB2INK and holder of a 1st class Commercial Radio License I know how important it is to include shielded cable [as used for the delivery of faithful signals via cable to your TV].
Apparently some exterior cameras have been eliminated leaving blind spots and the vessel vulnerable. The boat's data and voice transmittal system has been touted as "cutting edge" technology designed for secure communications but is compromised due to the absence of "shielded" cable.
Wait! There's more but I would advise Bush, Cheney and Rumsfeld to quit micro managing and leave a few things for the experts. After all, Mr. Bush is a former bar room "dancer", Cheney is a manipulator and "Rummy" listens to none of our Flag Officers [or senior Enlisted].
Lockheed Martin claims all the above is being investigated by them and the DHS IG. What's so difficult in establishing the fact that some 180[?] miles of RG-59 [or whatever type] shielded cable has not been installed in each of what will be 49 123 foot "Deepwater" patrol boats costing 24 billion dollars total. That's a lot of money in light of the fact that these 123 foot vessels are being "stretched from current 110 foot craft.
Makes one wonder a bit about body armor and casualties, Amen?
Glenn T. Anderson
Olivebridge, NY

Dear Editor,
In your August 3rd edition on Page 5 there is a picture of the Olive Free Library. I agree the library offers a lot of activities for the people in our town from children to the elderly and most of those in between. However, there is one group of people, the physically challenged, who have difficulty using our library. I am one of this group and have been for the past 15 years.
If you look at the picture of our library on Page 5 you will see a handicapped parking sign next to a flight of stairs. I have difficulty climbing stairs. For years I struggled up those stairs to gain entry to the library. It was embarassing for me so I had to limit my use of the library to voting.
Several years ago I learned there was another entrance in the back with another handicapped sign. The only problem was to get into the building you have to go over a door jam with a lip. This may seem like nothing to a fully mobile person, but to a person with nerve damage in the legs or in a wheelchair, this becomes a hazard.
I know this problem has been addressed repeatedly by the Resource Center for Accessible Living Inc. (RCAL). The Center has offered help in making the building conform with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). So far this has not been done.
The work involved would not be costly and can be done in a couple of hours.
RCAL would be happy to be of assistance. Mary Ann Donaldson, our architectural barrier consultant, will be able to explain what is needed and may even be able to provide the proper equipment at little cost to the town.
The handicapped sign in the front of the library should be removed and a sign should be clearly placed to show people with disabilities how to gain entrance to our librray.
It is my hope that this problem can be corrected before November when we will again need to vote.
Carafini Corsa, President
RCAL Board of Directors
West Shokan, NY

Dear Editor,
I have, for 10 years, tried to get someone to do something about our "no drainage at all" situation on Reservoir Road and VanSteenburg Lane. We all suffer flooding through any hard downpour. The State of NY is responsible for this section of road. I just found that out last year after playing pass the buck for 10 years. The State Engineer from the Kingston office came here after a heavy rain during which myself and another home had to have the fire department pump us out (a regular rain occurrence). He asked me where they were going to put the water. I told him that was his job and that I didn't care if he had to put up a water tank and pump it into that. Anyway, the constant flooding has ruined my business and caused deterioration of my home and garage, not to mention other damages. My neighbors all have
problems too. After the last storm, my sump pump ran continuously for over a week. I dread seeing my electric bill.
Now that they are going to repair culverts just a half mile away, I've written to DOT's director, Bob Dennison (several attempted contacts), the construction project manager, Barbara Mattice, and Town of Olive. I've not received one response from anyone. We're the forgotten ones except for tax revals.
Pat Barth
Shokan, NY