Con Ed Rate Hike Dismays
To The Editor:

How dismayed I am upon hearing on the radio news report this morning [March 20] that Con Edison is planning to raise rates 5 percent for New York City residents.

This is a shame and indeed an act that is unreasonable. I agree with our state Assemblymember Michael Gianaris who said that this is profoundly wrong.

It seems as though the services of utilities decrease as prices rise.

New York City residents are financially strapped due to decrease in bank interest rates, increases in bridge and tunnel tolls, rises in the price of heating oil and gasoline, rises in transit fares, rises in rents, problems with mortgages and credit cards and high costs of food, clothing and education.

Electricity and gas are not luxuries, but necessary for performing the tasks of daily living. The utilities should get their acts together and provide service that is safe and improved, before causing a budget gap in our personal financial situations.

Also, I am surprised at our new governor's casual attitude towards the new congestion pricing plan. This is our last chance and as the mayor had so eloquently stated, without this new congestion pricing plan, the city has no future.

The governor said in his wonderful speech that he will work together and do the best for the state and for the city. It seems that New York City is forgotten in Albany. Rhetoric is not enough and eloquence, but the governor must put his words to actions that will improve the quality of life for all New York City residents. I am disappointed that he did not mention two very important groups of voters in his wonderful speech this past Monday. He neglected to mention the disabled and the senior citizen populations which constitute a large voting block in our city.

It seems that these two groups are rarely mentioned.

Happy Easter and Purim to all and we must all remember the significance and spirit of both holidays and apply their meanings to our daily lives. Cynthia Groopman Long Island City