‘Highway Robbery’

Your editorial dismisses the London congestion charge saying it has limited the ability of citizens to move around [“Highway Robbery,” November 22, 2005].

The reality is that before the charge, central London traffic speeds were less than those of horse drawn carriages a century ago. Congestion was damaging the economy, polluting the environment, and reducing the quality of life. The only practicable solution was to reduce traffic levels whilst expanding and improving public transport.

The congestion charge has successfully acted as a disincentive to vehicle use – congestion has been reduced by 30% in the zone. This has helped London’s buses provide a quicker, more reliable service and allowed those who choose to pay the charge to move more easily around the city center.

As a result, London is the first major city in the world which has a significant shift from private car to public transport.

KEN LIVINGSTONE
Mayor of London
United Kingdom

‘Don’t License Terrorists’

North Carolina has loopholes in its driver licensing system wide enough to drive a truckload of terrorists through [“Billboards to Proclaim ‘Don’t License Terrorists,'” Daniela Gerson, New York, November 30, 2005]. The same applies for New Mexico, Oregon, Wisconsin, Maryland, and a host of other states.

North Carolina was chosen as the first state targeted in our billboard campaign, however, because, as every concerned citizen of North Carolina knows, North Carolina has already experienced the reach of terrorism as ground zero for the largest Hezbollah cigarette smuggling operation in the United States. The stated goal of this operation was to fund attacks on the United States and Israel.

Why should New Yorkers care about this? Because a North Carolina or New Mexico driver’s license in the hands of a terrorists likely would be used to plot attacks here, not there. The licenses and non-driver ID’s used by the September 11 terrorists, after all, were issued by Florida, Arizona, California, Virginia, and Maryland.

The second reason North Carolina was chosen is because it is issuing licenses to undocumented individuals from out of state who cannot get state-issued ID where they live. That black market is well known to law enforcement authorities. The denial of the problem by a North Carolina official commenting for your story represents the triumph of deluded hope over real experience.

AMANDA BOWMAN
President
Coalition for a Secure Driver’s License
www.securelicense.org
Manhattan

‘City Probing Children’s Deaths’

Sadly, in the past month, two New York City children, Dahquay Gillians and Sierra Roberts, referenced in Lauren Elkies’s article on November 23, 2005, titled “City Probing Deaths of Children Returned to Parents’ Custody,” have suffered tragic deaths, allegedly from abuse at the hands of their parent(s). Both children and their families have had previous involvement with Administration for Children’s Services. Their terrible deaths raise several questions for us all. Were their deaths preventable? Could ACS have done something differently?

Anytime a child dies when a report has been made to the New York State Central Register for Child Abuse and Maltreatment, a thorough investigation takes place to answer those very questions. Commissioner John Mattingly is leading that investigation and expects to make public a full report within the next two weeks. In addition, ACS will examine its practices related to the reunification of children with their biological parents after children have been in foster care and will identify means of strengthening its reunification program.

Unfortunately, some might suggest that these two children’s tragic deaths are evidence of failure of the reforms implemented by Children’s Services over the past decade. My fellow co-chairman of the New York City Citizen Review Panel, an appointed group of New York City citizens authorized by law to examine the policies and procedures with regard to Child Protective Services, and I believe that these deaths are, in fact, fur ther evidence of the urgent need to continue ACS’s reforms in the system that is responsible for our most vulnerable children.

These reforms have resulted in improved outcomes for our children. While there is no question that ACS must ensure the safety and success of our children, these incidents do not call for a dramatic policy shift. Rather, we support ACS’s reforms, both those already under way and those planned for the near future. These reforms place an emphasis on increasing preventive services, improving family engagement, and reunifying thousands of children with their families.

We also hope to learn from the death of Dahquay and Sierra and help guide ACS to help other children to lead safe, productive lives. Commissioner Mattingly and ACS’s response to these tragic deaths and the continued reform efforts are those which should be expected from an agency and leader committed to the success and safety of children.

DAVID LANSNER
Co-Chair
New York City Citizen Review Panel
Albany, N.Y.