Enforce rules already in place

Letter to the editor

   I’ve not followed the dispute over parking around Lawrence High School except in the Ledger. From the articles and the letters to the editor, it seems like another case of "Got a problem with jerks? Well, then let’s pass some more laws, ordinances, and rules to hassle a bunch of people even if they aren’t jerks."
   In my world, licensed drivers have the same right to park on public streets whether they are 17 or 70, whether they live on the street or are just passing through. If cars are blocking mailboxes or driveways, tow them. The township can put up warning signs and the school can inform students that such illegally parked cars will be towed. I’m sure there are towers who would love to have the contract, especially if they were allowed to set their own fees for redeeming towed cars.
   As for the litterers, videotape them and prosecute them. If their court dates cause them to miss important events, like tests or graduation, they can pay the fines instead of going to court. If they can’t afford the fine, well, "If you can’t do the time, don’t do the crime." I’m sure Municipal Court Judge Catanese has the leeway to really sock it to habituals who appear before him.
   I’m sure local residents would be willing to tape these dirtballs who are leaving their trash on other people’s property. It’s not like citizens would have to stand guard duty all day, would they? The misanthropes show up just before school starts and when school is out, right? Shucks, for the price of that new sign on Route 206 pointing the way to Mayor Pam Mount’s Terhune Farms, I’d even be willing to do the taping on one of the "at risk" streets for a week.
   As for teens congregating, we have loitering ordinances, don’t we?
   Deploy cops during the known "congregating hours." Make some arrests if necessary. Need more manpower? Deputize some local residents or other civic-minded citizens. Or National Guardsmen. We have a whole armory about a mile from the school.
   The point is, we already have in place laws against the misconduct some students are engaging in. Enforce them! Don’t pass new laws that impose on the law-abiding students who drive to school or on the people who happen to live near the school.

Terry Wintroub
Trafalgar Court