Submitted by dwight r.kearns, rockland county, May 9, 2007 11:50

Mr. Dunne has a clear view of several issues of critical urgency to the City. Fair negotiations with their employees, affordable housing and equitible payment for services rendered to the huge commuter work force who enjoy the services provided by the City by day and who leave in the evening to return to suberbia without paying their fair share.

Under the Taylor Law, the City negotiates with a simple game plan. Take it or leave it and if you act to force the issue with a job action we'll break the union. The results have been one sided. Zero year contracts, productivy increases, givebacks and employee frustration. In lean years city employees are told there is no money for salary increases and in good years the are told that surplusses must be salted away for future frocasted budget short falls. That sounds like bargaining in good faith, doesn't it?

The working class is being forced out og the city. Rents are becoming unaffordable and the prices of condos and coops are out of sight. Dunne is on the money. If there is any hope for New York City's middle and working class Urstadt must be updated.

I work in the city and live in the suberbs. I do this by choice. I have no issue paying for the services I receive in connection with making a living. If I could earn a comparable salary close to home I would. Since I can't, I commute. The police, fire, transit, sanitation, EMS, etc. services provided by the city cost money and I'm willing to pay my fair share. It's the right thing to do.

The democrats may have an opportunity to make meaningful changes in the City as well as NY State as a whole. I hope that they have the opportunity as well as the will to do it.

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