Letters to the Editor for Jan. 13

Misty Gallo sentence in Kaczmarek case a miscarriage of justice

I just finished reading the Jan. 6 Gazette and I cannot believe what I see at the top of the page, “Drug mule gets five-year sentence.” Is it me or did this young lady (Misty Gallo) receive a harsher sentence than a high-level cocaine dealer (Lisa Kaczmarek) and her ex-police chief husband?

Greg Kaczmarek (who in my opinion was neck deep in his wife’s and other dealer’s business) offered not only advice about moving stash houses and changing phone numbers but was overheard offering to “flash his badge” if necessary and even make the very same drug run that Ms. Gallo failed at. (By the way, what if the drug dealers had decided to off Ms. Gallo when she showed up in Schenectady without the $150,000 in cocaine and heroin? People have been shot over $149,999 less!) And the court didn’t believe that Ms. Gallo was under any pressure to do her job!

Also, they pointed out that she had sold drugs at times, but I would be willing to bet it was a drop in the bucket compared to the amount of product the “Teflon Kaczmareks” distributed!

For the Kaczmareks to get off so easy and Ms. Gallo, who obviously needs rehabilitation not incarceration, to have to take such a hard sentence compared to some major players in this mess, is the one and only thing I truly hate about this city: The punishment depends on who you are!

Ken Kimball

Schenectady

Merging NYSTI with The Egg a rotten idea

Re Jan. 9 article, “NYSTI fights proposed merger with Egg”: The proposed merger of The Egg and NYSTI [New York State Theatre Institute] is a bad idea.

The corporate philosophy at The Egg — to present traveling music and theater acts to the area — leaves much to be desired. These performers are only here long enough to present their show and they are gone.

NYSTI has a local and regional presence, involves local actors and musicians in its performances, and educates and entertains school-age children throughout the region. They are creating, not just presenting, quality stage experiences in our region. To think that NYSTI’s personal focus will not be subsumed and disappear into the larger Empire State Plaza Performing Arts Center Corporation is naive.

Let’s not let NYSTI’s unique mix of original productions, children’s theater, and high-quality performances be melded into the often generic and vanilla offerings at The Egg.

John Nazarenko

Saratoga Springs

Mayor making changes, but not for the better

Mayor Scott Johnson has negated our city charter in too many ways to mention in limited space. He plays the game of strong mayor while neglecting to support the charter change that would allow him the powers he has usurped without benefit of law. To find ways around the legitimate process, in this tight economy he is spending tax dollars on large legal fees although he has a city attorney, an assistant city attorney, a commissioner who is an attorney and he is an attorney.

In one of his most egregious land use machinations, he is spending tax dollars to “tweak” the city zoning code without any input from the public. And he is using a 10-year-old Comprehensive Plan as its basis. Who knows what he and his selected attorney will do to the city zoning code behind our backs.

Our mayor functions behind closed doors and in secret. He has kept buried the latest version of the Comprehensive Plan that used sustainability as its basic premise; he promoted a questionable State Environmental Quality Review (SEQRA) on the proposed recreation center; he has refused to send the aforementioned rec center to his own Zoning Board of Appeals.

One has no reason to believe that he would do anything to support environmentally acceptable land use. Placing a real estate agent on the Planning Board in place of an environmentally knowledgeable member is his style. This city is back to square one — the same old boys are doing the same old deals behind the same old closed doors.

Nancy Goldberg,

Saratoga Springs

Can ND-BG stay open, let alone expand?

Re Jan. 9 article, “ND-BG expansion questioned”: Has anyone told the Albany Diocesan Catholic school office that Bishop Hubbard plans on closing and merging churches in the diocese? And I believe that Schenectady is in the mix. Is this a last-ditch effort to save Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons School [ND-BG] from the inevitable gloom that hangs in the balance over all our Catholic schools?

The timing is interesting. The two Catholic elementary schools remaining in Schenectady should be sufficient “feeders” to ND-BG and also indicators as to whether another Catholic elementary school is needed in Schenectady.

St. Paul’s school was closed with 150 students; what would warrant reopening? Wasn’t ND-BG’s viability considered at that time? And I would even go so far as to challenge Principal Mike Pietek’s comment, “The education that is provided at Notre Dame-Bishop Gibbons is as good if not better than any of the high schools in the area.” The academic and educational opportunities at our public schools in Schenectady, as well as the suburban schools. far surpass ND-BG’s (and the price tag is nicer, too).

I applaud Mr. Pietek's effort. Ten years ago this may have been a viable plan, but unfortunately when you can see the writing on the wall, it is usually too late.

Toni LaFond

Schenectady

Health insurance key to reviving economy

It’s become clear that fixing the economy will be an uphill battle. Companies are closing their doors and employees are not only losing their jobs — they're also losing their health insurance. Laid-off workers are saddled with a terrifying choice between going without health care or going broke trying to pay for it. This is a decision no American should have to make.

It’s clear that we cannot let our economic problems get any worse, and fixing America’s health care system is the best place to start improving our economy.

Just last year, millions of people lost their jobs. It’s safe to assume that hundreds of thousands more will become unemployed before the economy bounces back. Without health insurance, more and more families will go into debt paying off medical bills.

When Americans go into medical debt, the result is bad credit, insecurity in the housing market and even bankruptcy. Our economy is already suffering and cannot afford any more of what got us into this mess. Health reform is key to bringing ourselves out of this recession.

Universal health care for all is a cost-effective way to solve this mess. I for one can tell you that Medicare works and is a vital tool to use to solve this problem once and for all. It is cost effective and will save billions of dollars that are spent needlessly. Many doctors are leading this program.

We cannot fix the economy without fixing health care first. Let’s start today.

Myrna Sak

Saratoga Springs

Sch’dy golf course is safely skiable

After skiing for five consecutive days in ideal conditions on the golf course (along the tree line, not the greens) it is most bizarre to read in Kathleen Moore's Jan. 3 article that ". . . no one can ski there now, for fear of being hit by falling branches" and that the weather has ". . . shattered Schenectady's plans for winter activities."

Plenty of skiers and snowshoers are enjoying the great snow. The restaurant is inviting and affordable. You could probably find a precarious branch, but you'd have to go looking. Those that have fallen are easily avoided.

If you're interested in outdoor activities, this is a great winter — one of the best early winters in years. The sledding is excellent and Central Park is exceptionally beautiful draped in snow. Why focus on the empty half of the glass? The skating ice will come and I'm sure the winter carnival will be even better than last year, but don't wait until then to get out and enjoy the wonderful opportunities that abound in Schenectady's great outdoors.

Darius Kirstein

Schenectady