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Dunes the problem?

No, the casinos are

I read in a June 10 story the comment Pinky Kravitz made about lowering Atlantic City's dunes: He claimed many people on the Boardwalk were asking where the ocean was. I thought it was ridiculous. Let's see, you have buildings and streets on one side and sand dunes on the other. Where's the ocean? Duh.

Then I read the June 15 Press editorial, "Atlantic City's too-tall dunes/A reasonable request," and was shocked you agreed.

First of all, the Boardwalk does not feel like walking in an alley. There are plenty of breezes and, as you know, the dunes are there for protection.

Instead of worrying about the height of the dunes, worry about the decaying city they are protecting.

Lowering the dunes is not going to bring tourists into the city. The casinos lost that opportunity 30 years ago. They promised residents if gambling was approved, our city would be revitalized. But once the money started rolling in, they were in no rush to improve anything outside their respective establishments.

The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority missed its opportunity. The Walk should have encompassed the multi-block area of closed stores on Atlantic and Pacific Avenues.

Atlantic City has established an ant trail that starts at The Pier at Caesars and winds down to Boardwalk Hall, with casinos warning patrons not to stray too far off the path.

I grew up in a city that was called the World's Playground. There were beautiful, stately hotels, supermarkets, movie theaters, nightclubs and amusements for the whole family. Gone are the stately hotels, only to be replaced by eyesores.

Hopefully the state Department of Environmental Protection will not cave in to the frivolous debate over lowering the dunes. We do not want Mother Nature to destroy the city. The casinos are doing a good job of it themselves.

RALPH REAGAN

West Cape May

Obama, Congress

spending recklessly

As our ineffective Congress mulls how to spend more than $1 trillion dollars to provide "universal" health care for the third of the people who are currently without care, it is time for us to let them know that we will not put up with their antics any longer.

President Barack Obama and Congress do not care one hoot about us, and their reckless spending proves this fact. If they cared, then they would include themselves in this soon-to-be enacted legislation. But they have their own special health care options unavailable to the rest of us.

Our president and Congress honestly believe that they are better than us. Let them know how you feel before it's too late.

MARTIN CONLEY

Egg Harbor Township

LoBiondo following

Republican bosses

U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo, R-2nd, has voted for every emergency appropriation to fund the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. He likes to call it supporting the troops. Except he voted no on this last war-funding bill.

The Republican leadership objected to the inclusion of $5 billion for the International Monetary Fund to insure loans for poor countries. It also includes money to fight the flu pandemic and security aid to Afghanistan, Iraq, Georgia and Mexico out of the total $108 billion. About $80 billion is for military operations.

LoBiondo forgets there were no pure war-funding bills during George W. Bush's presidency, when Republicans controlled both houses of Congress. Is he voting his conscience, or is he following party bosses whose main agenda seems to be opposition to the president's agenda?

LoBiondo's vote strikes a sour note, because American casualties in Iraq are the highest since the peak of 2006 and the highest in Afghanistan since the early days of the war.

KAREN PADMORE

Cape May Court House

Help prevent

balloon deaths

Every day, many birds, turtles, dolphins, fish and other sea creatures suffer agonizing deaths. These animals are attracted to deflated Mylar balloons, and especially the brightly colored ribbons tied to them that litter the shorelines and ocean. Thinking that these synthetic materials are a food source, they ingest them and are strangled to death.

I walk the Margate/Longport beach several days a week and pick up incredible amounts of this trash. Some of these balloons wind up on the shore as a result of celebrations, and many are the result of Realtors advertising properties.

All of us can take a few simple steps to stop this littering and senseless animal cruelty. If you have balloons at a party, puncture and throw them in the trash after use. Educate children not to let balloons fly away and about the negative ecological impact.When walking the beach, pick up deflated balloons and ribbons and throw them in trash bins.

Getting Realtors to not use balloons is probably a non-starter, but asking real estate agents with whom you are working to remove them after an open house is not unreasonable.

IRV TANNENBAUM

Radnor, Pa.

Election season

a time for lies

The time for elections is nearing. Get ready for more promises on taxes, new education and health initiatives and whatever else they must say to get elected. Once in office, everything can change.

What if politicians had to face consequences for lying? How long will we continue until we put harsh consequences on liars? Accountability, such as impeachment, should be stressed so young people do not think this is OK.

G. EDWARD VLASZAC

Northfield

6 comments:

• weisenthal (261) posts 10:55 am

  Why drag me into this? I never wanted dunes, the dunes have ruined the boardwalk, they don't protect anything, it's a boondoggle to spend money on for the acoe and they have ruined seaside prominades all up and down the eastern seaboard. The thing about Reagan's letter is the stupidity of defending these useless dunes. The casinos have done a lot for Atlantic City, it's the residents of Atlantic City that have ruined it, not the casinos. Maybe Lou239 wants to invest in Atlantic City? Maybe on Atlantic Avenue, where he thinks it's so business friendly? Better be well armed.

• frankhartx (98) posts 11:53 pm

  Ralph Reagan's memory is not very good. The stately hotels etc he talks about were going down hill fast as Atlantic City turned into a seedy dump until rescued by the arrival of the casino hotels. The boardwalk was there long before the dunes so that height is the right height. There were no dunes when Atlantic City was a real playground and the hotels were indeed stately but there was a boardwalk. Shaving a bit off the overgrown dunes will have little effect on their purpose but will at least improve the view and that view is an important part of Atlantic City despite the silly rhetoric of Reagan.

• Lou239 (4) posts 2:03 pm

  Ralph Reagan - is right on! The dunes were funded by monies mostly paid by people who will never see Atlantic City. It was justified by stating the dunes and beach replenishment are cheaper to install than the future cost of hurricane damage. Unfortunately, the AC Boardwalk was originally designed too low in height (note Ventnor's is higher so you see over the dunes). If AC Taxpayers want to lower the dunes - let them do so AFTER they repay non-AC taxpayers whose money was used to create the dunes. Did AC not understand what the purpose of the dunes were when they accepted the money or were they lying as to the need of the dunes to get the "free" extra tax money??? Maybe Weisenthal would kick in most of the money?

• weisenthal (261) posts 10:15 am

  ralph regan is an idiot.

• todfiat (0) posts 10:05 am

  When is Barry the Suit, faux president for Nancy Pelosi, going to find his cojones and a) give some active, loud encouragement to the dissidents in Iran, which may avoid the nuclear showdown the Mullahs are set upon, and b) board the North Korean freighter carrying UN-embargoed contraband weaponry? Will it be next week when President Teleprompter has triangulated everything such that it will not jeapordize the midterm elections, and the 10 other major programs Obama is grappling with? Will Pelosi let him off his leash? Let's remember something: on 133 votes in the Illinois legislature, many of them safe, party-line votes, Obama voted "PRESENT". Like the wuss he is. No time for cowards, Barry: our national security is at stake. Get off the dime, boy.

• njdlmkr (309) posts 7:01 am

  Ralph Reagan writes: "I grew up in a city that was called the World's Playground. There were beautiful, stately hotels, supermarkets, movie theaters, nightclubs and amusements for the whole family". You also grew up with people who cared about their surroundings, they cared about their neighbors, and they worked for a living. That's not what you have now in A.C. Don't blame the casinos, blame the residents of A.C.

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