Readers sound off on taxing private universities, anti-immigration sentiment and budget alarmism

Taxes shouldn’t be used to redistribute wealth

Bronx: Re “NY State could recoup millions in property tax breaks from Columbia, NYU under new bill” (Dec. 11): Columbia University should not be receiving tax abatements to build an overpass on Fort Washington Ave. to avoid crossing the street, for instance, or to install marble floors and wood paneling in their hospitals. Those are not what I believe the tax abatements were intended for.

However, I am appalled at the reasoning — because CUNY needs the money — the same way I am appalled at congestion pricing being justified because the MTA needs the money. This is not a communist state, and logic like this plays right into the hands of the far right. Columbia and NYU should pay taxes because there is no discernible reason for them to receive an abatement when they are earning money as landlords, not educators.

If CUNY and the MTA can’t manage their own budgets, that is a separate and distinct problem that needs a separate and distinct solution. If not, why not raise taxes on Key Food to support the food stamps program? Why not put a surtax on private patient medical bills to support NYC Health and Hospitals Corp.?

Taxes are supposed to be income-based, not social agenda-based. How tax revenues are spent is supposed to be determined by the state legislature as a body debating the budget. Taxes are not supposed to be instituted and earmarked to further one legislator’s social justice agenda, thus bypassing that debate. Lauren Shapiro

Farewell, young prince

Camden, N.J.: Ninety-five years after the birth of America’s most formidable civil rights leader, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., his youngest son, Dexter Scott King, succumbs to prostate cancer. Although the founders of our country abolished the idea of establishing an American monarchy, as an African-American, I indirectly deem the King lineage as our country’s Black royal family. Wayne E. Williams

Backwards

Manhattan: Let me get this right, Daffy Donald confuses Nikki Haley with Nancy Pelosi, and Ron DeSantis is so impressed with this dazzling bit of presidential oratory that he drops out of the race, attacks Haley and endorses the stable genius who has just demonstrated how stable he really is? What has happened to the Republican Party? Eugene Rodriguez

Still in league

Union, NJ: In his wildest dreams, Peter Mark Roget couldn’t come up with enough synonyms for GOP hypocrisy, as evidenced by your Tuesday headline “ ‘We have a country to save,’ says Haley” (Jan. 23). Maybe the voters need to know her next line: “But I will 100% endorse his destroying the country if he’s the nominee.” She only cares about the (R) after someone’s name and the power and perks it can bring her. She doesn’t care one bit about the country — no Republican does! Americans are just dirt under their Guccis and Louboutins. Partisanship to this nth degree will destroy us. Lou Alt

Control the message

Sayville, L.I.: Let’s take a look at how the GOP maintains its base. When Hunter Biden initially got his plea deal, the memo went out. Every single GOP member used the exact same phrase: sweetheart deal. Now Trump calls the Jan. 6 defendants “hostages.” New memo. Every single GOP member calls them hostages. Here’s a hint: If the message has to be repeated by everyone verbatim, it’s not a message, it’s propaganda. It’s subliminal advertising, but done overtly, and weak minds still fall for it. Here’s another hint about Jan. 6. When was the last time you saw “normal tourists” in a military stack formation? In a line at Disney World? Wake up. Oh wait, don’t wake up — then you’ll be woke. My bad. Michael Hooker

American tradition

Staten Island: There is so much debate about those coming to the U.S. for a better life, but why wouldn’t they come here? A place where everyone has an equal opportunity to make a better life if they work hard. But Americans have always had negative sentiment toward newcomers. Almost 50 years ago in grade school, I did a project on immigration. I interviewed my great-grandfather, 95 at the time. My great-aunt acted as translator as he never learned English. He was born in 1882 in Greece and came to the U.S. in 1904, driven purely by “economic reasons.” Times were hard, they helped one another, “we were like pioneers.” On what disappointed him about America: “I found it hard to get a job, and things were different over here. The people look at the immigrants as if they were invading the country.” Sad, but I guess treating immigrants like this must be the American way. Gina Ottrando

Great reads

Belle Harbor: I am pretty much diametrically opposed to Leonard Greene’s political views as expressed in his columns. That being said, in the Sunday Daily News he had two fine articles devoid of politics. One was a nostalgic look back at Sports Illustrated (“Clock runs out on mag,” column, Jan. 21), and the other a warm remembrance of a colleague’s late father (“Bar owner’s tales live on,” Jan. 21). A small reminder that no matter how different we are, we still have a lot in common. Bobby Nelsen

Protect players

Manhattan: Re “Out-of-control fan slams into Iowa’s Caitlin Clark amid postgame jubilation” (Jan. 21): Like the unofficially named “Buster Posey Rule” protecting Major League Baseball players from collisions while covering home plate, it’s time to enact a “Rush the Court Rule” across all venues. Fans should be prohibited from rushing the floor or field until the competitors have cleared. The last time I saw a full-speed impact like Clark’s was after the 1977 World Series, when Reggie Jackson leveled revelers on his way to the Yankees dugout. While mounted police officers aren’t a fit for all arenas, I’m sure there are better ways to keep players safe (and cost should not be an obstacle). After all, if athletes are punished for inappropriate physical or verbal contact with fans, it’s only fair that it runs both ways. Adam Silbert

Mere distraction

Delray Beach, Fla.: Watching the playoff game between the Chiefs and the Bills, I could not help but notice how disgusting it was that the cameras kept showing Taylor Swift. Is this really necessary? Many players on both sides of the team are married, does the camera show those wives cheering? It is a disgrace that the NFL has gone to new lows during the broadcast of games just to show her cheering. Every televised game with the Chiefs is the same story. I am sure they can show video clips of more interesting aspects of the game than her cheering. Concentrate on the game, not a singer. Manny Agostini

Budget drama king

Yorktown Heights, N.Y.: Michael Mulgrew is the epitome of hypocrisy. In his opinion piece “We must end the NYC’s annual budget soap opera” (Jan. 22), he accuses the city of continually creating a monetary crisis and then finding money that always existed. Well, Mulgrew seems to have fallen for it a few times. In 2014, he allowed $1 billion to be removed from the Healthcare Stabilization Fund to fund union raises. In 2018, he promised $600 million in perpetuity in health care savings. We now know that was done on the backs of retired city workers by forcing them into a Medicare (dis)Advantage Plan. Finally, Mulgrew is trying to convince current workers that a new health care plan that is 10% cheaper than the GHI plan most use will be better, all done in the name of saving the city money he claims it always finds anyway. Mulgrew can’t stop buying tickets for “Groundhog Day,” the opera. Rosalind Kliban Weis

Lose the litigation

Manhattan: There are always threats and there is always miraculously found money. This year, the city is spending more money on lawyers and lawsuits and propaganda, pretending that the NYC retirees need to accept a Medicare Advantage Plan and give up their legally required and promised Medicare and supplement in order to save $600 million, which is a blatant lie. Instead of giving the money to the lawyers, I wish the city would accept defeat and stop appealing the judge’s decision. That would truly be money saved. Helaine Kobrin