Editor:

This is in response to the Form Foundation’s letter with their petition on Change.org.

The Foundation compares their first project to the Montreal Mural Festival and the Buffalo Albright Knox Public Art Program. They then state that their project should essentially have little or no oversight, guidelines or regulation. Neither of the previously mentioned programs operates that way.

Guidelines, standards, application processes and juried reviews are the norm in the art world. Only graffiti “artists” who unlawfully and without permission deface buildings, bridges, signs, rail cars, trucks and buses operate without regulation. They violate the law, deface and damage property. The cleanup cost to the taxpayers is high. There are much better ways to spend those funds.

The Foundation’s stated goal is to bring “Cultural Modernism” to Medina. The Foundation should consider the possibility that people come to Medina to get away from “Cultural Modernism” and return to a simple rural small town quiet way of life. They state that they want to “be present” and “garner outside social and economic interest” in the village. Again could it be that people come here and businesses locate here so that their employees can be present in a village that is free of cultural modernism and rich in the atmosphere of small town rural America.

The Planning Board and Zoning Board of Appeals operate under comprehensive New York State laws as well as within the detailed provisions of the law within their responsibility. The Village regulations for historic preservation are based on the State Historic Preservation Office model and were reviewed and approved by that office before they were adopted. Application reviews and decisions of the Planning and Zoning Boards are made under strict provisions of New York State law. Decisions are required by law to be based on findings of fact in the matter being reviewed.

What the Foundation sees as “overly bureaucratic” is how the State of New York protects people such as them and ensures that local boards are not arbitrary, capricious, myopic or whimsical. Medina’s boards are extremely well trained and have long been recognized by their peers and by applicants before them as being fair, comprehensive, detail oriented, helpful and highly professional.

As Code Enforcement Officer I have, on numerous occasions, had applicants for projects large and small tell me what a pleasure it was to work with the Planning and Zoning Boards. They comment that our local laws and regulations, by being comprehensive and detailed, make their job as applicants easy. They know going into the review what is required in detail, making for a quick and simple approval process.

Likewise, code enforcement in the village has for the past 20 plus years set very high standards. Scores of violations of the New York State Property Maintenance Code, The New York State Fire Code, Village Code and Zoning Regulations have been cited each and every year. Are we perfect, of course not. Code enforcement is by its very nature an ongoing process constantly striving to maintain a level of compliance that is realistic and attainable for the local conditions and economics. As those factors improve, incidence and compliance improves to the next level.

Again, the Village of Medina program has been recognized for years throughout Western New York for being professional, fair, knowledgeable, and helpful. The Foundation however found code enforcement in the village lacking. When they violated the law it was followed by enforcement action and violation notices as required.

Historic preservation and careful accurate restoration of buildings and structures can be a long, expensive and frustrating process. The majority of people involved in it realize that it is well worth it. They do it because they love the buildings and realize the value and rewards in preserving our architectural history.

In the process surprises, sometimes unpleasant, are to be expected. Costs often soar and the time to completion expands. This is especially true of individuals with limited funds often doing most of the work themselves while being dedicated to a perfect finished result. There is no set formula or time limit.

Medina, despite what the Foundation thinks, is firmly in the 21st century. We have capitalized on our rich store of historical assets and charming small town atmosphere to attract new residents as well as new business and jobs. Existing businesses have expanded. The occupancy level in the Central Business and Historic Preservation District is fantastic. Streetscapes and infrastructure have been improved. Millions of dollars have been invested. Medina is a shopping, dining and history visitor destination.

Medina is a premier Erie Canal village. People come in great numbers from Rochester, Buffalo and far beyond for all these reasons and some they don’t fully understand. They come because in some intangible way it just feels right and good. It is the America they imagine and remember, free from the cares and distractions of modern life. Newspaper and magazine articles, online articles, visitor guides economic impacts and visitation numbers bear this out. It is not about “cultural modernism” in which you can be submerged in any urban and suburban area. It is about the small town of your memory and imagination right here to bring you peace and enjoyment.

The Form Foundation could have pursued a goal of public art in Medina in an inclusive, orderly and open manner. They could have sought out the appropriate officials and boards to discuss a way to move forward in an acceptable and legal manner. This is how civic matters and business is conducted.

Instead they consciously and deliberately chose a path of confrontation. They did as they pleased, ran afoul of the law, then proclaimed shock, frustration and dismay at the reaction they provoked. In my opinion, it was calculated from the beginning to play out just this way as a means to present themselves as innocent folks abused by bloated government and to garner attention and sympathy to advance their plan.

In closing let me say that I believe Medina has a great future. All the key elements are in place. It is ours to build successfully or foolishly squander. Is public art a part of that future, it could be and I hope that it is. That said, if a cartoon alligator waving a Buffalo Bills pennant in the Historic Preservation District is the best we have for a first effort, it is over before it starts. I sincerely hope the Form Foundation can step back, evaluate and reconsider their plan, presentation and rhetoric and become a serious, inclusive and valued contributor.

Martin Busch

Middleport

Busch is the recently retired code enforcement officer for Medina.

Editor:

In a recent letter submitted to the Orleans Hub, the author advocated for schools to instill a sense of patriotism and avoid political correctness. I worry that this is an inefficient and dangerous use of an educational system.

A simple definition of the term patriotism may be in order for a clearer idea on the subject to arise. At its base level, most would agree that patriotism is a love for one’s country. This is not a terrible thing in and of itself and can result in passionate people pushing the country to better itself.

I worry that this definition does not fit the previous author’s use of the term, however. A better word for the situation that Mr. Lauricella describes may be nationalism, where one feels a superiority over other nations and looks past their own nation’s failings (which, of course, every nation has). Nationalism breeds selfishness and arrogance. At the height of its influence it dragged European nations into the first World War and the United States into its many 20th Century conflicts. Nationalism is not something to instill in our students.

I worry that Mr. Lauricella has not visited a classroom in quite some time. As someone who has substitute taught and is currently in graduate school for secondary education, I may be able to assist in updating Mr. Lauricella to today’s educational climate. As far as I am aware, the Niagara-Orleans and Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES programs still supply many students with a robust technical education that prepares them to work in trade jobs.

Most students are also competent in science, mathematics, social studies, and ELA by graduating. It is, after all, a graduation requirement for most high schools. Additionally, the Common Core, while lacking in its implementation, seeks to ensure that high school students graduate with college-ready (not necessary) skill sets. The educational world may not be perfect, but it is not quite so dystopian yet.

As for the concerns over the violence in the country, they are somewhat warranted. Everybody should be leery of those seeking to exact violence onto others. However, I do not agree with the causes of these incidents being found in the classroom. Multiculturalism has always existed in this country; any St. Patrick’s or Dyngus Day parade is evidence of that. There is no singular American Experience.

Still, this does not mean that students do not read the Constitution. They are taught the Bill of Rights, elastic clause, and judicial review. However, they are also taught that, according to the United Nations definition, the treatment of Native Americans in the United States is a genocide.

They are taught that the founding fathers owning slaves does actually make them racist (most people alive during that time were). They are taught that the United States instigated a war with Mexico to buy the American South-West for $10 million less than they offered Mexico for California alone. It is arrogant to paint a picture of America that does not have the United States as the villain every once in a while. Just like it would be arrogant if I were to assume I have always been justified in every action I have taken. This is not brainwashing, this is the past as it happened.

I love my country. I know that it has given hope to millions of people for a better life. I know it has also committed terrible acts to harm the lives of millions. It is ignorant to ignore these incidents in favor of the myth of American Exceptionalism. Instead, I want my country to be better and improve. That requires telling students the truth and hoping that they love and care enough about the U.S. to come closer to achieving the ideals of all men being created equal and securing the inalienable rights of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. That is patriotism.

Kyle Thaine

Gaines

Editor:

To the unemployed citizens of WNY, NYS Department of Labor says we are recovering from the worst economic downturn in 75 years. Job losses were greatest in the leisure and hospitality sector, the “service industry.”

Future unemployment benefits are questionable. These are dark, scary times. Please don’t be embarrassed; use your local food pantry. Besides income, you probably also lost a most basic human right, health care during a pandemic.

Our new Congressman Chris Jacobs seems to be confused. Jacobs was elected to a position of service. Jacobs is the only WNY representative who voted to discontinue the Affordable Care Act option for health insurance. Fortunately, the bill didn’t pass. This is not the behavior of someone who “serves” us.

Representative Jacobs will be up for reelection in November. Our vote is power in a democracy.

Carol Nochajski

Wilson

Editor:

Recently the county school superintendents submitted a letter condemning the violent acts against police, citizens and property which I thank them for standing up, but what are they as heads of their districts going to change to assure this does not happen in the future.

Public schools and the curriculum they allow in big part created this monster. You all have to push back. Starting back in the late ’60s with the elimination of prayer then having to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. Corporal punishment was removed. The shame of the non-nuclear family was removed. 1979 the Department of Education was formed and was infiltrated with the ’60s beatniks and communist sympathizers. With each administration it became worse especially during a Democrat presidency. The destructive teachers unions have not helped in the least.

The ’80s and ’90s ushered in new think. God was taken out of everything. Children came home and told their parents my teacher told me you can’t discipline anymore they will call Child Protective Services and you will go to jail. Then a child’s self esteem was more important. Underachievers held back the higher learners. Textbooks had all the answers in the back.

Red ink to correct wrong answers was off limits because it was too aggressive and hurt the feelings of children. Then there were no wrong answers. Recess was illuminated and the daily run around the gym and young children especially young boys were who are naturally hyper magically came into a newly manufactured syndrome called ADD and ADHD and were drugged into submission merely so they could be controlled.

Bad behavior was rewarded. A child is allowed say to a principal, a teacher, a superintendent, a bus driver the most vile foul language and make threats, throw tantrums, be violent and the punishment they would get is time out to play video games, an in-school suspension with transportation provided by the taxpayers. The history of our own country and our constitution glossed over with only how evil this country is and how the founders were slave owners and stole land from the Indians. In sports everyone gets a trophy. Everyone gets to be on the team even if you are a detriment.

Patriotism, love of country, American exceptionalism, American culture and the fact that just by being born on this soil made you better than anyone else in the world was replaced with a new God. Environmentalism, children being taught we are destroying the planet, showing them a proven false documentaries like Al Gore’s Earth in the Balance. Scaring them to death with unproven climate change calamity and telling them capitalism, the life blood of our country is the root cause of this and their parents’ and grandparents’ lifestyles are causing planetary destruction indoctrinating fear, hopelessness and hatred for their elders.

Instead of teaching reading, writing , arithmetic, American history and science minus the political slant they are taught political correctness, multiculturalism, that they are global citizens, anti-bullying, I need a friend benches, common core, to embrace the homosexual LGBTQ agenda, handed out condoms and birth control, that racism is hiding in every corner, and this year the completely revisionist history of the 1619 project and white fragility. To hate and guilt themselves for the way they were born and the white color of their skin.

Stop pushing and pushing that everyone has to go to college from the grade schools. It is not for everyone. Many students are so ill-prepared. Many don’t know what they are going for except that everyone is told they are supposed to go. They obtain worthless degrees and incur massive debt and a polluted mind.

Many can’t read or perform math skills past the 8th grade. They sure don’t know any kind of history. When they come out they can’t find a job and are transformed into these people you condemn that are out on the streets right now destroying and defacing everything. Little socialist, Marxist, communists screaming racism that hate our law enforcement with full intent on cancelling everyone and everything that they deem are wrong with the main focal point being destruction of western civilization and the very country that gave them all they have the USA. The Democrat communists elected leaders in these cities and states taught in the same education system allow this to go on.

I want you superintendents to pay attention to this because what I have illustrated here is probably only a fraction of what you allow to go on in your schools. Most of you have gone through this type of indoctrination in college, don’t think we are fooled. If you are truly sincere in what you wrote then you will look within because your system groomed these children’s minds long before the Marxist professors got their hand on them.

Two generations of children and teachers have been intellectually damaged by liberalism and progressivism. They are parents now. You must concentrate on this next generation in kindergarten and forward to reverse this madness. Are you up to the job?

The rioting in the cities are being promoted and funded by the Democrat and communist party. ANTIFA, Marxist BLM and radical Islam are all joined together now to take down this country. They learned this hate in the American education system. Teach the children to love our country and our Flag, show respect to adults, that learning is a lifetime experience and smarts don’t come in young adulthood. That police are there to protect them. Stop with the political correctness.

Citizens be careful who you elect to your school broad. Any board for that matter. Know what they believe. Civilization depends on it that how critical it is.

Paul Lauricella

Yates

Editor:

The evidence is mounting that President Trump and the Republicans, like Chris Jacobs, are going to sabotage the 2020 election with administrative and bureaucratic problems. In this year, with over 150,000 death from the pandemic, it is safer to vote by mail.

The President has stated, without evidence, that mail-in voting would cause voter fraud. “The Brennan Center’s seminal report The Truth About Voter Fraud conclusively demonstrated that most allegations of fraud turn out to be baseless and that most of the few remaining allegations reveal irregularities and other forms of election misconduct. Numerous other studies, including one commissioned by the Trump administration, have reached the same conclusion.”

If Republicans were worried about voter fraud they would provide funding to secure the election. Republicans have refused to provide funding for the Postal Service and to strengthen state voting security. Newsweek reported (7/25/19): “Still, Senate Republicans have blocked four pieces of legislation that sought to bolster the security of U.S. elections since the former special counsel’s daylong congressional testimony, the latest of which came on Thursday when Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican, blocked two unanimous consent votes.” Slowing the mail service not only will affect mail-in voters but it will also hurt small businesses.

The Kansas City Star reported (4/20/20): “The Postal Service has been an economic lifeline to small retail businesses trying to stay afloat during the pandemic, by allowing them to ship their products to customers at a reasonable cost.”

Furthermore, many older people depend upon the mail for necessities and medicine, especially during this time of the pandemic when people are encouraged to stay home. Older Americans are a key voting block yet there is not a word from our Congressman. Congressman Chris Jacobs’ silence on this issue is clear indication that his priorities are not supporting citizens of N.Y. 27th district. We deserve better.

William Fine

Brockport

Editor:

Last week, the state Legislature reconvened for another session to address a variety of issues, including some of the ongoing concerns New Yorkers are facing as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

As government is essential, my colleagues and I have been meeting throughout the crisis and are prepared to continue doing so in order to make sure the needs of the people are being fully addressed. Though there is a lot more work to be done, and, of course, there were plenty of bills that I didn’t like that came up for a vote, I was pleased we passed some good measures (which are described below) last week in a bipartisan manner working across the aisle that will help the people of Western New York and the 144th Assembly District – including two bills I am very proud to sponsor.

Perhaps most importantly, we passed legislation (A.10840) to scale back the immunity from liability clauses going forward for nursing homes with regards to arranging health care services during the Covid-19 crisis. Of course, many of our nursing homes and their staff are following protocols and doing good job. But in the instances where someone does not follow protocols and take proper precautions, we are seeing how devastatingly quickly those losses can spread throughout an entire nursing home. We have the personal protective equipment, tests, knowledge and, hopefully, the understanding to know better – everything that can be done to protect our vulnerable populations, like those in nursing homes, must be done. No excuses. I proudly voted yes on this bill.

To ensure every eligible voter has the ability to vote without greater risking their health, or the health of others, I also voted in support of legislation (A.10833) to allow absentee ballots to be obtained during the Covid-19 pandemic by those who do not feel comfortable voting in person due to health concerns or are at greater risk.

To address the food shortage concerns exposed earlier in the pandemic, I also supported legislation (A.10607-A) that would strengthen our state’s self-reliance in terms of farming, food production and ensuring an adequate food supply for New Yorkers. Specifically, this bill creates a working group between various state agencies and relevant industries (agriculture, labor, food transporters, retailers, emergency food providers, etc.) and charges them with compiling a report of recommendations.

I was also the proud sponsor of some bills that came to the floor and ultimately passed. Assembly Bill 9779 creates a task force and report on volunteer firefighter recruitment and retention as well as helps implement a training program within BOCES so that more, younger recruits can get hands-on experience and credit through school. This bill has been passed in both houses, and I hope it will be signed into law by the governor shortly.

I also sponsored Assembly Bill 5070 which passed the Assembly to provide greater assistance to property owners along the shores of Lake Ontario by requiring the state Department of Financial Services to publish information about flood insurance and necessary contact information, including their disaster hotline.

Two other bills I was pleased to support were legislation that creates a registry of workplace fatalities and requires the state Department of Labor to publish a report of such fatalities on their website (A.5965), and a bill that directs that Division of Veterans’ Services to make it easier for veterans with traumatic brain injuries or post-traumatic stress disorder to obtain help (A.8114).

Please know, I am working hard for you and will continue to work with my colleagues on common sense legislation to help New York’s families and taxpayers.  My staff and I are available to assist you if you are in need. You can call my office at (716) 839-4691, email me at norrism@nyassembly.gov or follow me on social media for more updates.

Michael Norris

Lockport

(Norris is the assemblyman for District 144, which includes Shelby in Orleans County and part son Niagara and Erie counties.)

Editor:

Governor Cuomo is at it again!

I am sorely disappointed, but never surprised by the State’s headlong rush to destroy rural New York State. This time it involves our water supply as well as the sport fishing and tourism industries so important to our economy and way of life.

Apparently, the Governor is interested in siting offshore wind turbines within 2 miles of the southern shore of Lake Ontario. The myriad and significant issues that would arise from an ill-advised initiative such as this one would include:

• Contaminated water supply as a result of toxin release from lake bed disturbances during construction and wind turbine nacelle leaks after construction
• Shipping lane restrictions
• Migratory bird flyway disruptions
• Significant disruption of lake sport-fishing
• Significant disruption to pleasure boating activities
• Significant night time light pollution from aircraft navigation lighting installed on turbines

As lakeshore towns, we understand more than most the importance of these resources and the complete folly of destroying them in the name of electrical generation via an obsolete technology that currently generates no more than 0.10% of the State’s daily electrical needs.  Frankly, much more appropriate options for clean energy production are hydro and nuclear. In fact, nuclear plants can be very easily placed Downstate where the energy is needed without destroying prime agricultural land upstate.

The typical 1,000mW nuclear power plant utilizes 640 acres of land. Contrast this with the 12,000 acres of land a 200mW industrial wind turbine facility would use or the 3,000 acres required for a 150mW solar power installation.

Additionally, the Indian Point Nuclear Power plant in Buchannan, NY (Westchester County) produces 2,000mW of power at a 239-acre site in that town. However, the well-heeled residents of Westchester County browbeat the Governor into closing that site, leaving a minimum 39% daily deficit in downstate power generation. The deficit is being replaced with coal-generated power from New Jersey.

Interestingly and not surprisingly, nonprofit consortium Sustainable Westchester (read Albany lobbying group) does not agree that power should be generated where it is needed, as they state in their recent missive to the state:

“Tier 4 resource eligibility should be expanded to NYCA zones H and I deliveries. The same remarks stated…about New York City apply to Westchester County: a Tier 1 land-based renewable generation cannot be built in the County because of the same lack of developable sites for largescale solar systems or wind farms. In order to increase the penetration of renewable energy in Westchester County, the only solution for the communities is to contract a supply with upstate renewable generation and have it delivered in the County.”

So, Sustainable Westchester, believes that there are no “developable” sites in ALL of Westchester County and New York City and that rural, Western New York should bear the brunt of power generation for the Downstate area?

Westchester County = NIMBY land?  Maybe.

Lesson to Sustainable Westchester and Governor Cuomo: Just because there are not skyscrapers on rural Western New York land does not mean that land is vacant and unused.  Fully 100% of all rural land in Western New York is utilized in growing food for Downstate as well as providing a clean environment for constituents and wildlife in kind.

There are better energy solutions than destroying our Great Lakes.

John B. Riggi

Councilman, Town of Yates

Editor:

I read here about the State Sheriffs’ Association’s proposal to add laws and increase some penalties to protect law enforcement officers. Better defined and additional laws to protect police and address new situations is a good idea. Each department has a year to reevaluate itself and what it needs to do to improve unneeded violence. Feeling safe is a consideration.

My entire career I have always thought it wrong-headed that a “push off and run” situation by a defendant could be charged exactly the same as a “in your face fist fight” situation. And now we have electronic ways to harass police. With immunity gone or modified, improving this mess is reasonable.

Unfortunately the Association so far ducked the bigger issue of ensuring better, safer communities, not torn apart by racism and bigotry and excessive violence by anyone.

The impression was that police do not need any extra training or money for “de-escalation” training and implementation. That is facially wrong. For example, “Tactical disengagement” with a mentally ill person needs a mental health specialist on call. The suggestions forgot to include help with things like that.

One Association suggestion runs counter to both the Madison Method and the 1968 “The Kerner Commission” report.  The Association seems to want to be able to arrest anyone who stands to close to wherever the police go. If there is time there is also a Berlin method to help.

The bipartisan 1968 Kerner Commission found – just as we have again seen now – that aggressive police action, including setting perimeters, cornering people, using tear gas, first use of clubs… all trigger violent reactions even among bystanders.

We are seeing that reaction in Portland where the Mayor’s “Wall of Moms” and bystanders are all getting gassed and mauled first. Violence has predictably increased.  (The video of the Buffalo City police crowd control shows military tactics. The ad about Portland uses footage from the Ukrainian revolution. )

Let’s hope the Association is not caught up in the current push to resurrect Nixon’s old tactics which used code words to divide people and created bad situations by indiscriminately throwing police weight about. Hopefully wanted to get a list of concerns out there quickly for the local agencies and the Legislature to consider.

If the Association is being straight with us this is only a start. Let’s see how the Association follows up to help on what the plans are required to address.

Conrad F. Cropsey

Albion

Editor:

I am Mark Glogowski, Ph.D, Libertarian candidate for NY State 139th Assembly District.

One of the most important issues I believe we face is the unconstitutional tyranny of our current taxation situation. Having an ally in your Assembly is crucial to correcting this.

Being realistic, it will take time to unweave the tangled interrelations between government agencies and departments that have been created since the 16th Amendment was ratified, but it is doable. It will take time to get our obese government trimmed down to be lean and efficient, and with a lower appetite for taxes, but it is achievable.

There are several ways we can begin this process. The first is to get the state to operate within a balanced budget by cutting spending, not increasing taxes. We need a legislature that is aware of and pursues non-governmental options when issues are being considered. A legislature that is willing to hear and apply Libertarian solutions, thus eliminating the need for the wealth of the people to support the government’s involvement. Here are just a few places and activities we could proactively begin.

• Permit our governor and legislature to take control of expenditures by providing both with the equivalent of the ‘line item’ veto ability.

• End the practice of legislation being placed in budgets (it is unconstitutional).

• Remove barriers that prevent local governments from spontaneously working cooperatively together again. The discussions recently between Genesee and Orleans Counties regarding a shared jail is a good example. Unfortunately, no matter what they agree on, the barrier now in place is that the state government has oversight of county governments (instead of the other way around) and the state has in place barriers that prevent spontaneous intra-governmental cooperation.

• Allow all local governments (county, city,  town, and village) to put more of an emphasis on sales taxes and less on real estate taxes and real estate based service charges.

• Eliminate real estate taxes all together. They effectively cause you to not actually own the property you paid for. As with any property tax, if you don’t pay your real estate taxes you will be evicted by the Government and will lose your property.

• Dismantle the Industrial Development Agencies and the Economic Development Zones (famous for setting up competition for existing businesses with taxpayer money and dictating to counties, towns and villages what they can and cannot do.)

• Initially reduce the immense number of grants, and then eliminate grants altogether. Grants are nothing more than acts of tyranny, where government takes money from you and gives it to companies and individuals for projects that are not economically viable (such as putting up 640-foot windmills) and companies with poor business plans (like the local yogurt company that disappeared shortly after state funding ran out), and grants to pay for studies to find out where new grants can be issued (as happens in such projects as the Finger Lakes Forward initiative). Government is going out of its way to find something worthwhile to do with your hard-earned money rather than letting you keep it and invest as you see fit.

Let’s put a stop to government wasting your hard earned money. If we are successful we will see more activity by private enterprise to help spur the economy and build a better community, such as the grant program set up by Heritage Wind.

All these barriers were placed by generations of Democrat and Republican politicians. You cannot employ the same thinking to change as was used to create this mess.

Support my efforts to become your NYS Assemblyman and I assure you, restructuring our financial (tax) structure, rescinding the 16th Amendment, and restoring financial barriers to taxing will be among my top objectives. As your Assemblyman, I will work to initiate a call to rescind the 16th Amendment (giving government power to collect income taxes) and will seek the support of the Assemblies in 35 other States. I will work to give you back control over your wealth and possessions.

Mark Glogowski

Hamlin

(Glogowski is a candidate for the 139^th Assembly District which includes part of western Monroe, most of Orleans and all of Genesee counties.)

Editor:

A face mask is more than a piece of cloth. It’s a sign of respect. If you can wear a mask, you should do it. It shouldn’t be up for discussion.

If we can save one life, then wearing a mask at the supermarket for an hour or so has got to be entirely worth it.

Think about other people. You might not get sick from the coronavirus, but you might give it to someone else.

So what we need everybody to do is wear that mask. It’s just like wearing a seatbelt. It is important for everyone to realize we all have a role in containing this disease so hospital capacity remains at a manageable level.

There were questions about whether masks were necessary or effective in the early stages of the pandemic, but as knowledge of the virus has grown, the importance of masks has become clear.

Wear a mask. Keep your distance. Wash your hands. Practice safe living. Anything less is selfish.

Successfully navigating this pandemic doesn’t mean getting back to the status quo. It means addressing missed warning signs that defined the pre-covid world, and creating a better world to take its place.

Wearing a mask, ladies and gentleman, is respect.

Lynne Johnson

Lyndonville

Chairman of the Orleans County Legislature

Editor:

We are faced with a highly contagious and potentially deadly disease that is disrupting economic activity. Business are closed and employees are out of work. This is negatively impacting their employer-based health plans.

The Republican plan to help people without health insurance is a “phenomenal plan” that has yet, after 10 years, to be determined. Meanwhile, Mr. Trump’s 2020 budget (which Chris Jacobs supports), calls to cut the Affordable Care Act and cuts to C.D.C.

The American Public Health Association Executive Director, Georges Benjamin, MD stated: “This budget, put simply, is a disinvestment in the health of Americans.” The New York Times reported July 14. “The coronavirus pandemic stripped an estimated 5.4 million American worker of their health insurance between February and May, a stretch in which more adults became uninsured because of job losses that have ever lost coverage in a single year, according to a new analysis.”

Before the ACA, insurance companies routinely denied coverage to people with pre-existing conditions. Business Insider (March 4, 2020), reported: “A study conducted by the American Journal of Public Health in 2009 found that 66.5% of the 1.4 million bankruptcies in the US are related to medical issues.”

Approximately 487,000 people signed up for the ACA after the open enrollment period ended in December, according to The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, mostly in April and May of this year which suggest the surge in enrollment was linked to layoffs due to coronavirus pandemic. Yet, the “phenomenal fantastic plan” of the Republicans is yet to be determined. Now, with a healthcare crisis, cutting healthcare as the Republicans (and Congressman Chris Jacobs) are proposing, leaving millions without insurance, is the wrong course of action.

William Fine

Brockport

Editor:

Recently I have been hearing and reading that Governor Cuomo does not care about upstate or small business.

Personally I think he is a ruthless politician but in truth we should not shoot the firefighter. We need to stop the arsonist.

I run a small business. During the peak of Covid-19 in New York, I was swamped keeping up by myself with the matters considered essential to public safety.

I also know the pain and inconvenience of compliance to reopen – for me virus-rated air filters, plastic seats, matting for a constantly sanitized meeting area, limited access, taking temperatures, etc. etc. Measures like that are part of life for all of us for the foreseeable future.

But, by golly, New York is open and holding C-19 at bay for now. It rages in other places which played politics with it. They ignored, and ignore, that the entire European continent closed more drastically than NY, opened sooner, and has miniscule numbers and deaths in comparison. (And now we are learning about delayed strokes, brain, heart, and kidney damage that may haunt us for years to come. )

I do not like saying it but Cuomo is not the enemy in this case. Trump assumed powers over wages, the right to commander plants, to order production, to close and regulate all aspects of all business all the way back in March when he gave up in telling us the total number of infections would be stopped at 15.

And Cuomo did not take the small business money. Senators’ wives and big business got huge amounts of the PPP money meant for us. In my case I was approved but the SBA ignored the law’s formulas and diverted money so I too ended up without any.

To make matters worse the Federal audit committee meant to protect us was composed of Inspector Generals. But Trump has been firing them one by one – starting the first week with the Chairman, Glenn Fine.

Cuomo is a convenient person to blame by partisans and people suffering because he is at least doing something.

We are in the midst of a breakdown of law which is why SCOTUS has put Trump down several times. On immigration, for the first time, it came out and said they did not “believe” what a sitting President told them. Conservative judges refused to be made fools of in the name of party.

In the two recent subpoena related cases, SCOTUS laid out a two hundred year history of law and held the President’s premise had no validity. They took the time to carefully explain why he was blowing hot air. Sadly, there are too many violations to ever litigate every one through lengthy court proceedings each and every time.

Focusing only on small business and C-19, Trump has squirted – and keeps squirting –  lighter fluid on the flames rather use the extinguisher our laws gave him – and him alone – to use. Our Covid failure is his failure to respect our laws and get off the golf course.

That’s why I say do not shoot the firefighter. Stop the arsonist and every darn fool who plays with matches.

Conrad F. Cropsey

Albion

Editor:

Attention Town of Yates board members. I am making you aware of this because I have not been paying attention to what you have been up to for the last 3 months since there have been no open town meetings and I’m very mad at myself for that. I have just looked at the minutes and I find things to be very disturbing.

I am sick to my stomach and incensed that you would put forth resolutions, Resolution 67-7/20 one that that would handcuff our already demoralized local law enforcement from doing their job. For money! Your job as town fathers is to make sure the safety and wellbeing of this town and its citizens is first and forefront. Not appeasing to Marxist anti-American communist terrorist groups that wants to end civilization or a maniacal Governor.

Since the passing of the globalist manifesto comprehensive plan this town has been on a grant-crazed high. The citizens of the town of Yates have to suffer the consequences. For money!  Resolution 67-7/20 is also a bag of dung. It is asking you to discriminate against one group and give preferential treatment to another. For money! How much is your self respect and dignity worth? Selling out the police? Discriminating against one group to appease another. Everyone seems to have a price. What is yours? Grant money? I’m just getting started here.

There are people lining up for food every week in our county – 300 and more boxes of food gone in minutes. The givers are running out of things to give. Not everyone there is because it’s a chance to get free food. But it’s happening and you out-of-touch, devoid-of-reality politicians are giving the Highway Superintendent 105,000 dollars to buy a new mower. I can’t believe that during a time of pandemic you would even consider this. I would put that purchase on hold because you look like your uncaring to the taxpayers.

The state is in a self-inflicted billions of dollars deficit. The local taxpayers, many broke to their core, are not going to be able to pay their school and property tax and you all act clueless and allocate this money. There is no bailout coming from the feds or the state. Then you do a resolution to override the tax cap.

You spend and spend then give yourself the right to raise our taxes. Then there is this insane park project that is going to be a bigger burden to the taxpayers. Have you been down there lately? You should go try to have a cook out and let the kids play in the goose droppings covered grass. There is goose droppings wall to wall in the grass by the grills and pavilion as big as dog droppings by the thousands. Not very appealing to bring your family to or even walk around to look at the lake.

It would be very unwise to pass those resolutions FOR MONEY. The police will not forget who has and who does not have their backs. You need to have their back and let them know you do. Pull back that 105,000 that you are going to need it to run the town. Highway can live another year. Stop spending money liberally. There really is no conservative thinking on this board.  This has to be going on in other towns, too. Stop taking grant money.

Paul Lauricella

Yates

Editor:

False, nasty, demeaning, wildly inaccurate political trash used to mark the last few months before an election. In the last couple of decades rabid politics has become a year-round blood sport. The least informed become outspoken experts with the “final” word.

Currently “Defunding” the police is a politically nonsensical term and the attacks on it equally foolish. Calling reorganization “defunding” is as crazy political double speak as the political nonsense which says “tax cuts pay themselves.”

We are in the middle of rethinking police strategy, public services, and community improvement. I write simply to flesh out  some background (and a bit of opinion) for consideration.

With the federal budget cuts of the ’80s costs got pushed down stream and onto states, property taxes went up to cover the federal share while services were cut back.

As a result we have been looking for 40 years to the police to solve more problems which exceed their training.

Many of the better police concepts go back to the ’60s with formalized  ideas “distributed specialization” and “community policing.” “Stop and frisk” police theory is a military-type theory that is cheaper. That is because the stop in part depends on suspicion and on someone looking “suspicious.” It proved to be ripe for racists and for racist justifications.

Stop and frisk theory came along in the ’80s at the same time as those budget cuts and quickly became popular.  But it reversed gains in race relations and in retrospect made matters worse.

You get what you pay for. The recent failures of departments trained to be rough and ready really demonstrated the difference.

There are increasingly good examples of how well rethinks can work. In New York, Child Protective Services or Probation are often called first. If the police need CPS it’s there 24-7. And you certainly have seen that in other areas where police have crisis management, mental health, emergency housing, domestic violence experts, community health centers in support roles – and all sometimes in lead roles.

Right now police go into schools to help keep kids straight but, frankly, there is a huge national shortage of school psychologists who are better trained to address juvenile problems. I hope you get the point. It’s not a put down. It’s about being the best at what you are trained for.

Frankly it will cost more.

This rethink will be hard fought – particularly by those with the least knowledge or the most to lose. In Camden NJ, for example, the union was so dirty/criminal/ (there will always some in any group) that the department had to dismantle to void the union contracts and start over. In the end it worked extremely well.

As to the merits and types of things to talk about I already mentioned a few but also we know better mental health access correlates with less crime. Almost any increase in income correlates with reduced crime – education, sex education, vocational training, public work projects, and higher police wages and training all make for safer, better, communities. All should be talked through.

Catching up to where we were will not be simple, quick, or cheap. It’s just needed.

The biggest impediment is, I think, that tax increases on multi-millionaires will be needed to reclaim our communities. I could be wrong but with the low mean and medium income here in Orleans County if we go back to the old federal funding model, the income tax effect here may be minimal and our property tax could go down. It does require the federal government to step up and once again to make it work. (That is not to say that Congress must do better at floating the economy as red states Covid drags the economy down. It has to!)

I just heard a great example of a rethink from Korea. During demonstrations – very frequent there like France – the police shoot looters with indelible paint balls. Then they take a week or two picking them up and convict them on the body cam footage. There are a wealth of ideas to talk through.

Conrad F. Cropsey

Albion

Editor:

A letter writer to the Orleans Hub from Yates, whom I have never met, and have never talked to, wrote: “Mr. Fine’s delusion is like most of the backwards-thinking liberal wokesters. He believes that all and everything wrong with society lays on the evil white man just by the happenstance that they were born that way.”

Perhaps this writer is projecting what he believes onto me, but in any case this statement is a lie, period. This lie throws into doubt other statements made by this writer. This writer also states that “The police force is more than half, in most cases, minority.”

However, The New York Times reported in April 8, 2015, “Minorities make up a quarter of police forces, according to the 2007 survey, the most recent comprehensive data available.”

The writer obviously has opinions, but they are not based on available facts. This letter writer makes gross generalizations without facts or data and throws about irrelevant opinions.

William Fine

Brockport