Letter from Westchester, NY: Education, Healthcare, Security
Westchester County has many of the same issues facing New York City such as traffic congestion, expensive health insurance choices, social security fears, increasing public transportation costs, illegal immigrant, and elderly citizen concerns. However, the three largest concerns to the majority of Westchester residents are failing school systems, a regional hospital with a huge deficit and declining staff, and a nuclear power plant that seems to extend an invitation to terrorists to attack.
“We kids are the future. That is what everyone keeps telling me, but I don’t feel that the future is going to be as good as I might want it to be.” That is what an eighth grader from a Yonkers school had to say in late 2004. Those students have a bleak future to look forward to because they are lacking the fundamental building blocks of art, music, and sports? Many also lack the help of guidance counselors with whom they could discuss their future options. The desegregation of the Yonkers school system in the early 1980’s was supposed to give all children in Yonkers equal educational opportunities, yet now these students are at a disadvantage against students from such neighboring towns as Scarsdale and Bronxville who do not lack what Yonkers does. In 2004 alone about 574 jobs, one in seven teaching positions, were cut due to a $26 million deficit. After-school activities and interscholastic sports were eliminated, with cuts targeting music, art, language teachers, guidance counselors, librarians, psychologists, and social workers. Students will not have learned the basic essential skills like teamwork, which can be learned through sports, and is an asset in the working world. The Federal Government should give aid to those school districts in Westchester that are at a disadvantage, to create a level playing field amongst all residents. The Yonkers district has been promised $6.1 million from the state legislature to fill 574 positions and for restoration of some programs. Yet, what happens the next time money promised to the city is not delivered and more positions must be cut? More children will suffer. Without sports or music how are these children supposed to receive scholarships to college? Without guidance counselors, who will fill out the paperwork for college? The Government recently highlighted the need to do more to prepare our high school students for the future. Their education proposals would ensure that every high school student graduates with the skills needed to succeed in college and in the workforce. Yonkers students, and many other students throughout Westchester will not have the skills to succeed in college and the workforce. The Federal Government proposes an increase in funding for programs for reading, math, and science of about $470 million. The Government should also direct the funds necessary for schools most in need, like Yonkers, so that they can achieve their goal of preparing all students with the skills necessary for the future.
Westchester Medical Center serves not only Westchester but also many of the surrounding counties. Outside of New York City hospitals it is the largest in the area serving thousands of children and adults. However, it is working at a substantial deficit. The hospital was expected to lose $41 million in 2004, following losses of $83 million in 2003, $69.7 million in 2002 and $6 million in 2001. Since April 2004, Pitts Management Associates of Baton Rouge, LA, a turnaround consultancy have run the medical center. They may slowly be improving the situation but more needs to be done. Since 2003 more than 300 jobs have been eliminated. Since March 2003 192 full time Registered Nurses’ were cut, almost 15% of the medical center’s RN workforce, with 220 employees out of work in late 2003 and 110 positions cut in March 2004, that time to save $8.1 million. Previous cuts did not touch staff caring directly for patients but subsequent ones did. People should feel secure in their health providers but understaffing due to budget cuts leads people to feel insecure in those they are supposed to rely on during the most serious of emergencies. One unnamed RN characterized it: “This place is ready to implode. Do they want patients to die? Medical centers are supposed to improve business by improving patient care. But that’s not where we’re headed now.” Reports of unsafe patient care conditions have increased dramatically during the past several months. New York State has provided minimal funding to keep the hospital up and running. The Federal Government needs to either take over management of the hospital or give substantial funding to allow for adequate staffing. Citizens should not be made to suffer inadequate care due to the mismanagement of this regional medical center.
Indian Point, located in Buchanan, is of serious concern, not only to Westchester residents but much of the surrounding area as well. 20 million people live within 50 miles of Indian Point. It is in close proximity to major financial centers in New York City, as well as to reservoirs which supply and store nearly all of Westchester County’s and most of NYC’s drinking water and to major sea, air, rail and highway transportation systems. Also the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, which graduates more than 900 new officers annually, representing approximately 25% of the new lieutenants required by the Army each year, is directly across the river. Residents see this nuclear power plant as an easy target for a terrorist attack and it must be protected. We urge (1) that substantial funds be provided for research into safer alternatives to nuclear energy, (2) that Indian Point be decommissioned, and if decommissioning is not a possibility in the near future then (3) an increase in protection of Indian Point through federal guards and better training. $1 million has already been obtained to study energy alternatives to Indian Point but more is needed. President Bush signed into law Project BioShield, an unprecedented $5.6 billion effort to develop vaccines and other medical responses to biological, chemical, nuclear, and radiological weapons. If $5.6 billion can be designated for the development of responses in the event that chemical, nuclear, biological, and radiological weapons are used, should not funds also be used to prevent those possibilities from occurring? Funds should be used not only for research into alternatives to nuclear energy but also for protecting Indian Point until it is made safe and for the development of an adequate evacuation plan just in case an attack occurs. Security personnel are not required to be trained to confront the following threats: more than three intruders; more than one team of attackers using coordinated tactics; more than one insider; weapons greater than hand-held automatic weapons; attack by boat or plane; or any attack by “enemies of the US,” whether governments or individuals. How safe would that make you feel? Federally trained guards should patrol and protect Indian Point. A no-fly zone should be put in place over Indian Point. If Disney World and Disneyland can have no-fly zones protecting Mickey Mouse, Indian Point should have a no-fly zone to protect nuclear material and 20 million residents. Government studies report that the radioactive material released from Indian Point can kill and injure tens of thousands of people living within 500 miles and render large regions uninhabitable for long periods. The truth is, according to www.Riverkeeper.org, even if Indian Point were shut down tomorrow there would be adequate electricity generation to power New York City, Westchester County, and much of New York State. The Government should make it a top priority to protect not just Westchester’s nuclear facilities but also those facilities across the nation as well.
The struggle to achieve Westchester’s top goals will not be easy. The funds need to be found and those politicians with the power to make changes to protect and support Westchester residents need to step up and do the right thing for the betterment of the entire Westchester community.
by Kim Savino
“We kids are the future. That is what everyone keeps telling me, but I don’t feel that the future is going to be as good as I might want it to be.” That is what an eighth grader from a Yonkers school had to say in late 2004. Those students have a bleak future to look forward to because they are lacking the fundamental building blocks of art, music, and sports? Many also lack the help of guidance counselors with whom they could discuss their future options. The desegregation of the Yonkers school system in the early 1980’s was supposed to give all children in Yonkers equal educational opportunities, yet now these students are at a disadvantage against students from such neighboring towns as Scarsdale and Bronxville who do not lack what Yonkers does. In 2004 alone about 574 jobs, one in seven teaching positions, were cut due to a $26 million deficit. After-school activities and interscholastic sports were eliminated, with cuts targeting music, art, language teachers, guidance counselors, librarians, psychologists, and social workers. Students will not have learned the basic essential skills like teamwork, which can be learned through sports, and is an asset in the working world. The Federal Government should give aid to those school districts in Westchester that are at a disadvantage, to create a level playing field amongst all residents. The Yonkers district has been promised $6.1 million from the state legislature to fill 574 positions and for restoration of some programs. Yet, what happens the next time money promised to the city is not delivered and more positions must be cut? More children will suffer. Without sports or music how are these children supposed to receive scholarships to college? Without guidance counselors, who will fill out the paperwork for college? The Government recently highlighted the need to do more to prepare our high school students for the future. Their education proposals would ensure that every high school student graduates with the skills needed to succeed in college and in the workforce. Yonkers students, and many other students throughout Westchester will not have the skills to succeed in college and the workforce. The Federal Government proposes an increase in funding for programs for reading, math, and science of about $470 million. The Government should also direct the funds necessary for schools most in need, like Yonkers, so that they can achieve their goal of preparing all students with the skills necessary for the future.
Westchester Medical Center serves not only Westchester but also many of the surrounding counties. Outside of New York City hospitals it is the largest in the area serving thousands of children and adults. However, it is working at a substantial deficit. The hospital was expected to lose $41 million in 2004, following losses of $83 million in 2003, $69.7 million in 2002 and $6 million in 2001. Since April 2004, Pitts Management Associates of Baton Rouge, LA, a turnaround consultancy have run the medical center. They may slowly be improving the situation but more needs to be done. Since 2003 more than 300 jobs have been eliminated. Since March 2003 192 full time Registered Nurses’ were cut, almost 15% of the medical center’s RN workforce, with 220 employees out of work in late 2003 and 110 positions cut in March 2004, that time to save $8.1 million. Previous cuts did not touch staff caring directly for patients but subsequent ones did. People should feel secure in their health providers but understaffing due to budget cuts leads people to feel insecure in those they are supposed to rely on during the most serious of emergencies. One unnamed RN characterized it: “This place is ready to implode. Do they want patients to die? Medical centers are supposed to improve business by improving patient care. But that’s not where we’re headed now.” Reports of unsafe patient care conditions have increased dramatically during the past several months. New York State has provided minimal funding to keep the hospital up and running. The Federal Government needs to either take over management of the hospital or give substantial funding to allow for adequate staffing. Citizens should not be made to suffer inadequate care due to the mismanagement of this regional medical center.
Indian Point, located in Buchanan, is of serious concern, not only to Westchester residents but much of the surrounding area as well. 20 million people live within 50 miles of Indian Point. It is in close proximity to major financial centers in New York City, as well as to reservoirs which supply and store nearly all of Westchester County’s and most of NYC’s drinking water and to major sea, air, rail and highway transportation systems. Also the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, which graduates more than 900 new officers annually, representing approximately 25% of the new lieutenants required by the Army each year, is directly across the river. Residents see this nuclear power plant as an easy target for a terrorist attack and it must be protected. We urge (1) that substantial funds be provided for research into safer alternatives to nuclear energy, (2) that Indian Point be decommissioned, and if decommissioning is not a possibility in the near future then (3) an increase in protection of Indian Point through federal guards and better training. $1 million has already been obtained to study energy alternatives to Indian Point but more is needed. President Bush signed into law Project BioShield, an unprecedented $5.6 billion effort to develop vaccines and other medical responses to biological, chemical, nuclear, and radiological weapons. If $5.6 billion can be designated for the development of responses in the event that chemical, nuclear, biological, and radiological weapons are used, should not funds also be used to prevent those possibilities from occurring? Funds should be used not only for research into alternatives to nuclear energy but also for protecting Indian Point until it is made safe and for the development of an adequate evacuation plan just in case an attack occurs. Security personnel are not required to be trained to confront the following threats: more than three intruders; more than one team of attackers using coordinated tactics; more than one insider; weapons greater than hand-held automatic weapons; attack by boat or plane; or any attack by “enemies of the US,” whether governments or individuals. How safe would that make you feel? Federally trained guards should patrol and protect Indian Point. A no-fly zone should be put in place over Indian Point. If Disney World and Disneyland can have no-fly zones protecting Mickey Mouse, Indian Point should have a no-fly zone to protect nuclear material and 20 million residents. Government studies report that the radioactive material released from Indian Point can kill and injure tens of thousands of people living within 500 miles and render large regions uninhabitable for long periods. The truth is, according to www.Riverkeeper.org, even if Indian Point were shut down tomorrow there would be adequate electricity generation to power New York City, Westchester County, and much of New York State. The Government should make it a top priority to protect not just Westchester’s nuclear facilities but also those facilities across the nation as well.
The struggle to achieve Westchester’s top goals will not be easy. The funds need to be found and those politicians with the power to make changes to protect and support Westchester residents need to step up and do the right thing for the betterment of the entire Westchester community.
by Kim Savino
posted by Rich at 10:11 AM
1 Comments:
This piece is a perfect example of the dark side of so-called "small government"- bad schools, bad hospitals and unguarded targets. If people realized that this is the true essence of "small government," then it wouldn't seem so attractive.
Note- I am not for "big" government either- too much government unfairly brdens people with taxes and weakens the economy. What I advocate is "medium" government- an efficient government that helps people improve their lives in ways that reduce govenrmnet spending further down the line. Like how every one dollar invested in education saves/produces 7 dollars later in increased productivity and reduced crime/incarceration/welfare costs. I do see a day where all charity is eventually able to be taken care of by private organizations, but that will never come unless the government invests in our people, namely through education (especially early childhood), clean energy (reduce public health costs, create jobs), mass transportation (reduces health costs, creates jobs, allows for capitalism to revive cities instead of costly government programs, reduces crime and its costs, helps cut trade deficit by reducing oil dependence and provides jobs), and drug and mental-health programs (reduces incarceration costs). Medium government is where government cuts costs and taxes by making investments towards a better society where people actually have a good chance at achieving self-sufficiency through self-determination,
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