Save, protect LSP; Tax bill hurts middle class; Investigate Clinton | Feedback

People at the waterfront at Liberty State Park in Jersey City in September.(Michael J. Dempsey |The Jersey Journal)

JCPC against LSP marina

I am writing on behalf of the Jersey City Parks Coalition (JCPC) regarding the potential privatization of the south-side of Liberty State Park. JCPC is a collection of 23 neighborhood and park groups throughout every ward working together to grow and improve the Jersey City park system. The Coalition is a 509(c)3 non-profit organization and has been since 2005.

We are appealing to you as, once again, we feel that Liberty State Park is under attack by Trenton and private development. For years, we've worked hand in hand with Friends of Liberty State Park to defend this valuable open space and maintain the "people's park." The proposed plan to extend the marina to the entire southern part of the park will greatly impact the public and change accessibility for those that need it most... the average citizen.

As the leader of a non-profit, citywide park advocacy group I know that the community prospers when we stand together for safety, education and our quality of life. We ask you now to protect Liberty State Park. Not only protect Liberty State Park and open space, but to protect our communities. And when I say communities, I don't just mean all local Jersey City or Hudson County communities, I mean communities throughout the state of New Jersey. If our parks are compromised, so are our neighborhoods. Open space, regardless of its size -- large or small -- is the most valuable commodity we have not only for today, but for our future generations.

If Liberty State Park is given over to privatization, then every open space and park land throughout the state of New Jersey is now put in jeopardy. We cannot let this happen -- we will not let this happen! We as an organization call for a public hearing on this most crucial matter and state our opposition to the ruination of the south-side of the park by allowing a marina to be built in this valuable, publicly accessible location behind Lady Liberty.

Laura Skolar, President of JCPC

Tax bill hurts middle class, environment

The tax bill going through Congress is worse than what people realize. It will hurt the middle class, especially by eliminating local tax deductions and cutbacks. Trump has been anti-environment and pro-fossil fuels from the beginning. He has cut the budgets of the EPA and other agencies including important climate programs. The budget resolution also opens the door to drilling in the coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, and provides tax cuts to corporate polluters at the expense of public health and communities across the nation.

Trump wants to decimate the EPA and take away funding for NOAA climate programs. This plan hurts offshore wind by cutting the tax credit by a third and speeding up the installation timelines. The GOP tax-bill would also end a $7,500 credit for purchasing electric vehicles. In the current budget, there's already about $15 billion in subsidies for fossil fuels. While keeping the bulk of tax credits for the oil and other fossil fuel industries, his plan cuts important credits for green fuels.

To pay for his tax cuts to millionaires, Trump wants to eliminate important programs on renewable energy and electric vehicles. At the same time, he's keeping almost all the loopholes and subsidizes for Big Oil and the other fossil fuel industries. This is part of his war on the environment and clean energy. What he is doing is slashing the budget as part of his attack on the environment and the people of the United States.

Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club

Investigate Clinton, Mueller

Russia didn't go into the voting booths to vote for Trump. The American people were tired of Crooked Hillary's shenanigans. The investigation of Russia on colluding with Trump should really be the Russia/Clinton investigation. Obama, Hillary in 2010 allowed us to sell of 20 percent of U.S. uranium to Russia. Last I checked, Trump had nothing to do with selling off our uranium. Millions of dollars from the proceeds of this sale went into the Clinton's Slush Foundation. Hillary paid for the fake dossier on Trump, thereby colluding with trying to derail his chances of winning the election.

We are paying $100,000 per day on Mueller's investigation of Trump/Russia. Many of the people Mueller has working on this investigation are donors of Crooked Hillary and Obama. Selling off 20 percent of our uranium is undoubtedly a national security Issue. President Trump needs to do his job without constantly being bombarded with all this fake, made up collusion stories by sore-losing Democrats and swamp establishment Republicans. A special prosecutor needs to be appointed ASAP to investigate Hillary selling off our uranium to a hostile adversary, Russia. Mueller has too many conflicts of interest to be in charge of the Trump/Russia investigation. He should rescue himself. American people are hoping he does.

Kevin Stanley, Jersey City

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