LETTER TO THE EDITOR

With some friends like these . . .

Posted

To the editor:

(re: “Pols want alternate-side parking rule to clean streets,” May 25)

We are used to seeing stories extolling the virtues of local politicians, celebrities, business owners, and so forth in this illustrious newspaper. But this piece was just too much.

“Passing legislation isn’t our only job,” Assemblyman Jeffrey Dinowitz is quoted. “We respond to complaints and get them done, but it might be slow depending on the issue.”

Wow.

You mean like the 32 years it took to get a traffic light installed at the corner of Kappock Street in front of the Winston Churchill? I’d say that qualifies as sclerotic, not slow. Or the fact that a woman was killed before it was addressed? Or that June Eisland (remember her from the early ‘90s?) promised change to the intersection, way back then?

Or the chutzpah of Eric Dinowitz, Jeffrey’s nepotistically placed son, taking credit for doing something 32 years in the making? We might actually consider this to be a remarkable feat when you ponder the fact that he might not have been born when the issue was nascent!

Speaking of which, to whom should we in this New York City community address our concerns, Assemblyman Dinowitz? The truck and trailer issue has been ongoing for at least five years, and numerous local groups expressed concern to your son, the city councilman. Isn’t that his job? What exactly does our city councilman actually do if such a local issue is being handled by his father?

We in the community got bupkis response from Eric Dinowitz. Zero. Zilch. Cat got his tongue?

It’s not only the issue surrounding the Kappock Street intersection. Numerous members of the community have contacted me, on occasions (as I have a forum here in The Riverdale Press, and use it) for issues such as the truck-trailer, or buses idling at West 262nd Street and Riverdale Avenue. These city buses created dangerous pollution for our kids and mothers, not to say the elderly, who have had to breathe these fumes in for years.

When these constituents contacted Councilman Dinowitz, they were ignored. Completely ignored, letting the pollution harm the fragile susceptible members of the community. The complainants weren’t insiders, nor were they members of the Benjamin Franklin Reform Democratic Club. But they were — and are — constituents.

Oh, and they vote.

No, Mr. Dinowitz, you do not deserve praise. What, for confronting an alleged perpetrator? How smart is that? How exactly is being confrontational going to resolve the issue at hand? Really, pray tell, you couldn’t use your political connections to get our community better treatment?

We’ve endured this nonsense for years, and just now you notice? By the way, where is your son in all this?

You cannot claim that you work for the community, Assemblyman Dinowitz. It appears you represent only the interests of your local machine political club, the Ben Franklin Club, and those who pay homage to you at that behind-closed-doors insider political joke of a “club.”

Others — also known as “constituents” — apparently don’t seem to warrant the respect of a return call.

Riverdale, Kingsbridge and all of our barrios in this corner of the Bronx need someone who thinks less of himself, and more of and for his constituents.

The Dinowitz family doesn’t qualify.

Our community deserves better than pere et fils Dinowitz, the “dynamic duo.” With friends like these, who needs representation?

Adam Stoler

Adam Stoler, alternate side parking, Jeffrey Dinowitz, Eric Dinowitz, Ben Franklin club

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