Letters to the Editor, Jan. 21

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR, Jan. 21

Parkers pay twice to use the library
To the editor:
   
I would like to alert Princeton residents that they are paying parking fees to use the Princeton Public Library.
   Today it cost me to use the library and I am very angry. I parked in the Spring Street garage at 1:59 p.m. I spent 20 minutes using the library and 45 minutes running errands in town. I punched out of the Spring Street garage at 3:05 p.m.
   The parking rates for the garage are $1 an hour with the first half-hour free. My charge was $2 because my car was in the garage for 1 hour and 6 minutes. I have an issue with this because although my total time in the garage was 1 hour and 6 minutes, I spent 20 minutes in the library and only 46 minutes running errands. Therefore I should be charged for 46 minutes in the garage — otherwise I am basically being charged to use the library.
   We are paying twice to use the library — once through our taxes and again through parking garage fees. I do not have a problem paying parking for running errands, but I do for using the library. This is a serious if not legal issue for township and borough residents and I intend to pursue this.
Joanne Marshall
Broadripple Drive
Princeton
Immigration letters reach a new low
To the editor:
   
Some of the recent letters concerning immigrants and immigration, in particular a letter from Lloyd Gracey (The Packet, Jan. 18), have reached a new low for knowledge of American history, an understanding of American democracy and any sort of appreciation and regard for our neighbors.
   That these anti-immigrant views have come from residents in Princeton and West Windsor, who supposedly pride themselves for their heritage, their cultural diversity, their community schools and other social institutions, is shocking. Lest anybody forget, our Declaration of Independence states that "all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness."
Paula McGuire
Washington Road
West Windsor
Garbage strike inspires an ode
To the editor:
   
Tuesdays and Fridays
   Upon the board he gallantly stands,
   Searching the streets for our laden cans.
   
Without this servant of our land,
   You could not find any trace of man,
   
Covered we’d be with tuna cans,
   And baby diapers with blue bands.
   
Plastic bags we’d grow to loathe,
   Clinging to us like dirty clothes,
   
And when arriving home at night,
   To find full cans, oh, what a fright!
   
What did I do to deserve such wrath?
   For they did not take my lowly trash?
Joyce Alexander
Leigh Avenue
Princeton
Waste Management should settle strike
To the editor:
   
It is sad and ironic that as we celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who died while trying to win decent wages and benefits for sanitation workers, the sanitation workers who serve our community are forced out on strike by the failure of Waste Management, their employer, to negotiate.
   It was distressing to learn that their trucks, dangerous heavy equipment, are being operated by strikebreakers. Strikebreakers are not hired for their competence and expertise; they are hired for their willingness to steal other people’s livelihood. I do not want these thugs roaming our streets at the wheel of a huge truck. They are a danger to the men, women and children of our community. And they command premium pay for their dirty work. Will these costs be passed along to the people of our town?
   Let us really honor Dr. King, in deed as well as in word. Our town should demand that Waste Management negotiate in good faith with our working people, and keep their strikebreakers off our streets.
George Chaikin
Colonial Lake Drive
Lawrence
Baroni leads fight for ethics reform
To the editor:
   
The negative campaign against Bill Baroni has officially begun. Marilyn Silverman’s letter attacking Assemblyman Baroni (The Packet, Jan. 7) is appalling. Hamilton Township, or New Jersey for that matter, has no better fighter for ethics reform than Bill Baroni. Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein and the Democrats have been shamed into action on ethics reform by Assemblyman Baroni and now they are trying to attack him.
   Hamilton’s own Bill Baroni has been fighting the corruption in Trenton from day one. Linda Greenstein, on the other hand, voted against comprehensive pay-to-play reform during both of her first two terms in office. It was only after Assemblyman Baroni was elected that she was forced to vote for reform. But even those votes weren’t decisive. Assemblywoman Greenstein actually changed her vote on pay-to-play twice this past year.
   Bill Baroni has been leading the fight on ethics reform and cheap shots aren’t going to make people forget how hard he fights for us in the Legislature. We need an independent voice like Assemblyman Baroni to keep the rest of the politicians in Trenton in line.
Richard L. Stout
Mario Drive
Hamilton
Minimum-wage hike would hurt, not help
To the editor:
   
Recently, acting Gov. Richard Codey gave his State of the State address. He proposed raising the minimum wage by 38 percent over a two-year period, to $7.15 per hour.
   The New Jersey minimum wage was increased by 18 percent in 1992 and by 2 percent in 1999. The minimum wage should be raised, but not by such a large amount.
   I earn less than $7.15 per hour and am among the 200,000 people who would be affected by this change.
   Everyone would like to make more money — but what about the people currently making $7.15 per hour, people who have worked years to get up to that amount? They are back to making minimum wage, the same as a person hired two years after them.
   Furthermore, if the minimum wage were to be raised, businesses would face a sudden increase in payroll costs. They could raise prices, but that would completely defeat the purpose of the increased wage.
   If businesses could not raise prices, they will either make current employees work harder or fire the least skilled workers, the exact group this increase is supposed to help. Businesses will not pay workers $7.15 for a job that is only worth $6 per hour.
   New Jersey has a strong and growing economy, with over 4 million jobs and low unemployment (4.4 percent). Clearly, a smaller increase over a longer time would better help the people making the least money.
Sean Phillips
Wescott Road
Hillsborough