‘The Class-Size Myth’

The New York Sun editorial “The Class-Size Myth” [May 13, 2005] was right on the mark. As confirmation, Professor Carolyn Hoxby of Harvard University’s education department said, as I recall:

a) “Smaller class size, over the decades, improved academic achievement one-tenth of 1%.” (University of Chicago seminar honoring Milton Friedman in December 2002. She was the featured speaker.) b) “Smaller class size resulted in an academic improvement of one-hundredth of a standard deviation. Further, all of that was in Tennessee.” Perhaps significantly, that’s the only state that’s had merit pay for teachers for some time. (Manhattan Institute presentation at a luncheon, June 2004.)

If anything, you were too gracious. Smaller class size borders on scandal.

CHARLES H. BRUNIE
Manhattan

‘Hevesi and the Hedge Funds’

Pension reform is a laudable objective, as suggested in The New York Sun’s recent editorial, “Hevesi and the Hedge Funds,” [June 14, 2005]. But this is no reason to oppose an important piece of legislation that would give the state comptroller the flexibility needed to improve returns on New York’s pension investments and, thereby, reduce the burden on state taxpayers.

The “prudent investor” legislation put forward by Comptroller Alan Hevesi would conform New York’s investment policy to virtually every other state. Most important, it would allow New York to join the rest of the country in taking advantage of the tremendous investment talent that resides in New York City. Ironically, legislated restrictions prevent New York from putting our local talent to work for our own gain.

For these reasons, the Partnership, representing the city’s largest employers, urges the State Legislature to enact the Prudent Investor bill this year, and begin working on a more comprehensive solution to pension obligations that threaten to overwhelm our state and local budgets.

KATHRYN S. WYLDE
President and CEO
Partnership for New York City
Manhattan

‘Probe Sought’

Re: “Probe Sought of Miller Mailing,” Jill Gardiner, Page 1, June 15, 2005. The saying goes that “money is the mother’s milk of politics.” But never underestimate the value of incumbency, especially when it’s coupled with the power of a legislative leadership post and a legislature that marches to single-party control.

Recently, my mail brought what must be the most blatant abuse of the legislative franking, or mailing, privilege I have ever heard of. Speaker Gifford Miller, who is running for mayor, has used the franking privilege of his term-limited minion, Margarita Lopez, to send his campaign fliers to people who don’t even reside in his district. In other words, your taxes are helping to finance a Democrat primary campaign.

Sure, the flier has Ms. Lopez’s name on it; Mr. Miller’s no fool. Based on that test, the campaign flier probably qualifies as a “constituent mailing” by Ms. Lopez, which is all perfectly legal. But the flier itself is all about Mr. Miller; his full-length photos are plastered all over the thing with Council Member Lopez getting just two small head shots – perhaps 3 square inches – on a piece of paper that is 8 1/2 by 11 inches and printed on both sides. The text reads something akin to the way the film credits would read if a movie starred Tom Hanks and Jim Belushi with Mr. Miller as Mr. Hanks. Mr. Miller takes top billing; Mr. Miller’s name is most prominent, in several sentences in the text, Ms. Lopez’s name isn’t even mentioned.

JAMES G. COLLINS
Manhattan

‘Freedom at Ground Zero’

The New York Sun editorial “Freedom at Ground Zero” [May 16, 2005] sort of belittles the concerns of Debra Burlingame and others about blame-America-ism creeping into the World Trade Center Memorial. You do this by listing the “serious persons” who comprise the International Freedom Center board and implying nothing bad could ever happen with such people in charge. But are the board members the ones who will actually set up the exhibits and write the texts that accompany them, or will anonymous staff members, some of whom may have an agenda, do that? Going by the example of Supreme Court clerks and congressional staffers, I fear the latter.

ROBERT HUNT
Hillsborough N.J.

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