to the editor:

I am writing this letter to sincerely thank my family, friends and voters of North Arlington, especially the newly registered voters of the Class of 2008, for the confidence they showed by re-electing me to the North Arlington Board of Education. As a lifelong resident of North Arlington, graduate of North Arlington High School and parent to two North Arlington High School students, it is an honor to be able to give back to my school and community. Over my past three terms I have worked to put education first. The knowledge and experience I have gained over these nine years, along with the positive relationships I have forged with the administration, teachers and staff, will continue to allow me to work toward our district goals and objectives.

I would also like to say thank you for successfully passing the budget. Passing the budget ensures that our academic and extracurricular programs remain intact. It allows us to continue to provide an excellent education to our most valuable resource, our children.

Congratulations to Mr. Anthony Blanco on his victory. He will be an asset to the board. I would also like to wish Mr. Fred Frato well; it was a pleasure serving with him.

Again, thank you for your continued support.

Karen Palatella

North Arlington Board of Education Trustee

Rothman failed to deal with EnCap

to the editor:

A typical politician that shakes hands and kisses babies has come to light again. Our Congressman Steven Rothman has really tried to make this old stereotype come to life. During his town hall meet and greet meetings across Bergen County he stopped in Lyndhurst to meet the residents. While there he was asked a slew of questions and he smiled and answered them. That was fine until he was asked about EnCap. I along with other residents asked what was he going to do to help all of us with this giant boondoggle. It took some time and after the fifth resident continued to ask him for help he agreed to meet with the mayors of Rutherford, Lyndhurst and North Arlington. This was met with great applause. Now comes the real politician part. Congressman Rothman left us all feeling like we would get someone outside of NJ politics to help. Silly residents of Bergen County, we all thought he would keep his word. A core politician actually helping a non special interest group with no campaign contributions the thought of it would shake the government at its core. The reason I say this is Congressman Rothman did contact the mayors and said to them he wanted to meet with them. I asked the mayor of Rutherford when the meeting would be taking place. Then the unfortunate happened, the Congressman called back and canceled the meetings with no reschedule date. I guess the methane gas, contaminated soil and potential cancer issues are not important enough for the Congressman to get involved. I guess it will take a major fundraiser to get his attention. Shame, Shame, Shame on you Congressman or maybe on us for actually believing someone would come to our aid.

Frank Wilson

Rutherford

New approach needed for healthy environment

to the editor:

Earth Day 2008 will commemorate our utopian commitment to a cleaner, healthier, friendlier environment. Your "plastic or paper" editorial serves as a reminder to just how little we’ve actually achieved over these last 38 years.

In reality, consumer indifference can be seen at the curb, in burgeoning landfills and on remote Pacific isles. Wasteful government programs, initiatives and regulations have failed to turn the tide on the vast sea of consumer waste choking the globe. Introduction of simplistic, ill-advised, knee-jerk political cycle pile-on legislation will not solve the problem.

We need a new approach, one for the people, rather than by the people, based on science…not politics. Envision the relative simplicity of an intrinsically beneficial marketplace where production, consumption and disposal are built into the equation at the point of origin.

Reliance on the existing model is no longer an option. High cost educational programs have failed to motivate the indifferent masses, government has failed to enforce its own existing regulations.

Replacing plastic with paper only creates a new crisis in the paper industry, requiring a nine-fold increase in logging, to perhaps 130 million trees per year. Replacing plastic with canvas sacks has the potential to create another health crisis…cross-contamination of grocery products. This in turn will press the government to institute new health and packaging initiatives, require more individual product protection, leading to a demand for more landfills and increased disposal costs. And so it goes, on and on, ad nauseum.

Yet, all this time, the army of seemingly intelligent policymakers driving this circle of failure have refused to consider support for the use of biodegradable starch-based plastic compounds developed by our scientists more than 20 years ago. Go figure…and a Happy Earth Day to all.

Mikul Hundt

Thanks for coming to the carnival

to the editor:

St. Mary Elementary would like to thank everyone who came down and had a good time at this year’s carnival. We would also like to thank everyone for the continued support of our schools.

Rich Senatore

St. Mary Elementary

Can NJ afford
universal care

to the editor:

Governor Jon Corzine has stated, repeatedly, that although he supports some form of Universal Health Care for New Jersey, the current State fiscal crisis makes it problematic, at best.

The same unanswered question appears whenever Universal Health Care is discussed, "Who is going to pay for it?" This question remains whether the proposal is made by Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama or Senator Joe Vitale of New Jersey.

On Monday, March 17, Senator Vitale unveiled his State Healthcare Plan, which would require all New Jersey residents to have some form of health insurance within three years. According to Vitale:

"The soaring costs of health care in New Jersey and around the nation are causing real hardships, not just for government-administered health-care programs but also for private citizens who fear losing their health benefits more than being a victim of a terrorist attack. Frankly, we cannot afford the status quo any longer, and must adopt a more cost-effective model to ensure affordable, high-quality health care for every New Jersey resident."

Vitale points out that his plan includes two phases. The first phase includes creating healthcare guarantees for all of New Jersey’s children. Phase two will require all adults to have healthcare within three years. However, a true funding formula for this plan remains unclear. Consequently, members of the State Legislature from both sides of the aisle have questions and reservations.

Vitale has addressed the healthcare issue from a civil rights point of view:

"I believe that every man, woman and child deserves access to affordable health care here in New Jersey and more importantly, so do an overwhelming majority of New Jerseyans who live this challenge every day."

Curiously, Democrats within the State Legislature have selected what may be the year in which New Jersey faces the most serious fiscal crisis in its history to focus on Paid Family Leave and Universal Health Care. In 2008, New Jersey faces significant cuts in services, the elimination of several state government departments, rising property taxes, an economic recession and an uncertain future.

Universal Health Care was instituted in Germany during the late 19^th century, funded by compulsory purchase of health insurance by the individual. Hillary Clinton’s plan for Universal Health Care during the 1990’s placed the burden of payment on the shoulders of employers. Recent Universal Health Care proposals by presidential aspirants have returned to the compulsory purchase concept. The uncertainty stems from the term "affordable". Will the compulsory purchase of health insurance require some citizens to buy healthcare that is beyond their economic means?

Senator Vitale’s plan includes the elimination of public funds earmarked for Charity Care, transferring that money to a New Jersey HealthCare program. Nevertheless, the Vitale plan would include the compulsory acquisition of healthcare, either through transferred charity care money or mandated purchases by the individual. Once again, the term "affordable" comes into play.

Certainly, uncontrolled medical costs have destroyed families. Catastrophic illnesses can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Gone are the days when an individual could pay his medical bills via "out-of-pocket" resources. Unfortunately, we are living at a time when families are faced with home foreclosures, rising taxes, increased gasoline prices, and the uncertain challenge of affordable health care.

Governor Corzine has indicated that, although he supports the concept of universal health care, he is realistic, and the State’s current fiscal status could prevent reaching a common goal. Vitale has suggested that to implement such a plan would cost New Jersey four hundred million dollars, which he points out is much less money than the one billion, seven hundred million that we would spend on Charity Care.

Vitale has the support of Republican Senator Bob Singer, Assemblyman Louis Greenwald, Assemblyman Neil Cohen, and Senate President Richard J. Codey. The first phase of the plan would require an expansion of the FamilyCare Program in order to provide coverage for uninsured children. In addition, the success of the program would be dependent on the State’s ability to work with the health-insurance companies in order to lower costs. According to Vitale, specific information about the second phase would be made public in May.

The debate continues among think tanks, such as the Cato Institute in Washington DC, which believes that health care is a private matter and individuals should be able to opt out of such programs, at will. Still others believe that health care is a right and an entitlement and Universal Health Care should be a basic guarantee of citizenship.

Salvatore Pizzuro

East Rutherford

Teen accidents
on the rise

to the editor:

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released data from its Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) showing that alcohol-related fatalities increase between the middle of April and the middle of June. What's significant about these time periods? It happens to be when teenagers tend to do a lot of partying, namely prom and graduation.

Alcohol is one of the most difficult drugs to combat, especially with youth. Being a legal drug that is easily obtained, clear and effective prevention and education measures must be taken.

The Fatality Analysis Reporting System data showed that in the year 2000, 58 percent of traffic fatalities were alcohol-related during the prom and graduation period. This compares with 41 percent for the rest of the year. In addition, 36 percent of all alcohol-related traffic fatalities are young people between the ages of 15 and 20, below the legal age to consume alcoholic beverages.

This data shows that more work needs to be done on the education and prevention front. This being said, April is national Alcohol Awareness month and the message must be delivered, alcohol is a drug and it costs Americans too much time, money, lives and grief for us not to make a stand.

Advertisements from alcoholic beverage companies specifically market to our nation's youth, depicting a fun atmosphere, good-looking people and sometimes a picture of total irresponsibility, making it appealing for rebellious or thrill-seeking teenagers.

Nobody starts using drugs or alcohol with the intent of becoming addicted or losing their lives. But when people wait and don't get help immediately, they can die or end up in the hospital or prison. Some people are fortunate enough to get the help they need but those are the people that have the courage to reach out.

For information on Narconon's successful drug treatment and educational programs and materials, contact Narconon Arrowhead at 1-800-468-6933 or visit their website at wws.stopaddiction.com. The Narconon program was founded in 1966 by William Benitez in Arizona State Prison, and is based on the humanitarian works of L. Ron Hubbard. In more than 120 centers around the world, Narconon programs restore drug and alcohol abusers and addicts to a clean and sober lifestyle.

Gary Smith, executive director

Narconon Arrowhead

Congressman pushes to repeal Tiahrt Amendment

to the editor:

According to ATF trace data on guns used in crimes that were recovered in New Jersey in 2006, 74 percent of New Jersey’s crime guns come from out of the state - a rate higher than that of any other state. To fight this alarming problem, which is a matter of life and death for New Jersey residents, I worked with the ATF and New Jersey Mayors, as well as Senator Frank Lautenberg and Congressman Donald Payne, to bring an ATF Field Division to our state to stem the tide of violent crime. Finally, after 7 years of blood, sweat, and tears, New Jersey got its very first field division in Newark."

This ATF Field Division will be staffed by 40 federal agents and law enforcement personnel who will find, prosecute, and stop the gun runners who arm New Jersey’s gang members and violent criminals who hold our streets and cities hostage.

Enforcing the laws on the books

However, we must do more to help our local law enforcement on the ground so that police can prevent the flow of guns to criminals, those with mental illnesses, and children. I would like my Republican and Democratic colleagues to fix provisions such as the Tiahrt Amendment, which ties the hands of local officers.

The Tiahrt Amendment, sponsored by Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-KS), is an anti-police measure that has been successfully attached to spending bills over the years that restricts local law enforcement’s access to ATF data on guns used in crimes. This restricted data - which had been freely available until 2003 - would help law enforcement locate ‘hot spots’ for illegal gun purchases and build cases against those helping supply criminals with firearms.

Last year, members of the House and Senate Appropriations Committees, including Senator Lautenberg and I, successfully repealed parts of the Tiahrt Amendment, such as the restriction on local law enforcement from accessing data on crime guns outside their jurisdiction. We also made aggregate trace data (http://www.atf.gov/firearms/trace_data/states_and_territories/cy2006-newjersey-rev2.pdf) publicly available again. Still, Lautenberg, law enforcement advocacy groups such as Mayors Against Illegal Guns (http://www.mayorsagainstillegalguns.org/html/home/home.shtml) and I continue to push for full repeal of the Tiahrt Amendment, which continues to restrict cities’ access to and use of ATF data on guns used in crimes.
Congressman Steve Rothman

(D-NJ)

Senator pushes for more gun control

to the editor:

As the country mourns the loss of the 32 students and professors at Virginia Tech one year ago, we must renew our commitment to ending gun violence in our schools and on our streets. It defies common sense that felons, fugitives, and others who are legally prohibited from owning firearms can walk into a gun show and walk out with a gun-no questions asked. My legislation would require background checks for every gun purchased at every gun show across America. Congress needs to stand up and close the gun show loophole.

In 1993, the Brady Law was passed requiring prospective purchasers of guns sold by federal firearms licensees, like gun shops and pawn shops, to go through a background check. However, a loophole in current law allows people to purchase guns from unlicensed dealers at gun shows without going through a background check. The ATF reports that between 25 and 50 percent of firearm vendors at gun shows are unlicensed.

Senator Lautenberg

(D-NJ)

Senator calls for restoration of municipal aid cuts

to the editor:

I’ve been clear from the day Governor Corzine announced his budget proposal that we must restore the $189 million in municipal aid cuts to New Jersey’s small municipalities. Our small towns are among the most efficient in the state and these cuts would dramatically raise property taxes for countless families throughout the state and send the wrong message to taxpayers.

When you add in the fact that many of the towns that are facing municipal aid cuts just saw an increase in their school aid when we passed the new school funding formula, these cuts make even less sense. It’s like robbing Peter to just pay Peter the money back.

The legislature will need to find other places in the budget to cut to make up for this $189 million, but municipal aid is too critical to our communities to allow these cuts to continue.

There is certainly more that all municipalities can do, both large and small, to cut costs and make local government more efficient. But the cuts the governor proposed this year based on population are too arbitrary and too quick to allow our towns to make those changes.

The legislature should work this summer after the budget is passed to develop changes to the municipal aid formula that move our towns towards sensible consolidations and shared service agreements. Forcing these towns to go ‘cold turkey’ in a matter of months will only hurt New Jersey’s property taxpayers.

Senator Paul A. Sarlo

D- Bergen, Essex and Passaic

Long-term healthcare options available

to the editor:

A new report from the Institute of Medicine on the healthcare outlook paints a dim picture for the 78 million baby boomers in the United States. Simply put, the current healthcare system is not able to properly provide adequate care for the increasing number of aging and chronically ill people. Individuals born between 1946 and 1964 are living longer with more complex health needs that require specialized care and services. According to Caregivers of New Jersey, there are more than one million long-term caregivers in the state alone. Together we are facing a caregiving crisis.

The report recommended family members and other informal caregivers who assist the elderly or chronically ill receive adequate training. Most caregivers do not get training until the need arises, a time when they have little time to manage all of their new duties. Caregivers must balance work and family responsibilities while navigating the health care system, finding the right home health care agency and hiring the best person to assist them. This can be overwhelming.

Planning and organizing in advance can help to avoid some of the inevitable stress.

Vital information for a caregiver should be simply organized and accessible. It is important for people to take the time to discover the long-term care options available for them and their loved ones and decide what is best for them before the unexpected happens. As a long term care expert, I encourage people to learn about long-term care options when they are healthy and not in a crisis situation.

Lorraine Spiotta, president

Senior Long-Term Care Insurance Brokerage, Inc.