To help tipped workers, let ’em keep their tips
Manhattan: The recent op-ed “N.Y. must end the subminimum wage now” (Jan. 2) contains a major error. There’s no such thing as a “subminimum wage” — New York’s Labor Law mandates that all employees are paid at least the state’s minimum wage, period.
The tip credit system enables tipped workers to earn far in excess of the minimum wage through tips, with studies showing that many tipped workers make well in excess of $20 per hour.
A recent poll shows that 88% of tipped workers in New York want to keep the current tipping structure. Why? They don’t want to see their tips decrease, small businesses struggle and shutter, or face job losses, which happened when Washington, D.C. began eliminating the tip credit and full-service restaurants lost 1,800 jobs.
The writers want the Democratic Party to get credit for helping hard-working restaurant workers, not the Donald Trump administration. However, eliminating the tip credit just harms workers and significantly raises the cost of doing business for mom-and-pop restaurants, as well as food prices for New Yorkers who are already struggling, just as the Trump administration is poised to increase costs further with new tariffs.
If Democrats want to show that they’re in touch with the working class, they’ll leave tips and the tip credit alone. Andrew Rigie, executive director, New York City Hospitality Alliance
Bad idea
Bronx: In reply to Voicer Harvey Goldstein’s comment to place a cover over a license plate to avoid congestion pricing: Don’t! Police have stepped up any attempts to evade tolls. Placing anything over your license plate is illegal and subject to fines of up to $500. Marc Menchise
Raising costs
Manhattan: Congestion pricing is only one of the financial burdens New Yorkers and commuters will have to bear as a result of Gov. Hochul’s policies. She just signed into law a fine on oil and gas companies of $25 billion. That cost will be passed on to anyone in New York who rents a heated apartment, cooks or drives a car. This, coupled with soft-on-crime policies and offering free hotels and food to illegal immigrants, is driving New York into ruin. Gamaliel Isaac
Cost-prohibitive zone
Middle Village: It’s time to put the dollar sign next to and over New York State and New York City! So very sad. Robert Chirieleison
Tearing it down
Spotswood, N.J.: Between violent crime, Queen Hochul smothering the working people with taxes, and a corrupt mayor’s office and police department, New York is definitely a place to avoid. Democrats have ruined a once-great city. Tom Scott
Convenient appointment
Brooklyn: The best-case scenario for New Yorkers: Donald Trump pardons Mayor Adams of all charges — and immediately appoints him ambassador to Turkey. Adams gets to spend four years living it up with his cronies over there, and we get to elect a new, non-corrupt mayor without fear of him subverting the process by flipping to run as a Republican. Everyone wins! Katherine Raymond
Hands off
Oceanside, L.I.: The best hire from the beginning of the Adams administration willingly left because she wasn’t allowed to do her job. Former Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell was in conflict with the micromanagement style of Adams and his buddies undermining her. She was smart enough to leave when she did, and the toilet has been flushing ever since. Hopefully, because the timing is right, Commissioner Jessica Tisch can continue overhauling the police department independent of Adams’ interference. Tony Giametta
Serious slight
Massapequa, L.I.: Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman will not lower our American flag to half-staff for the passing of a former president of the United States. We don’t know his reason, apparently other than Jimmy Carter was a Democrat. Half-staff flags for former presidents have been the normal thing to do since President Dwight Eisenhower started the tradition in the 1950s. Call Blakeman’s office over and over at 516-571-3131 until he orders the flags lowered to half-staff. If they are not lowered, he should be removed from office. Ron Boehning
Childish nonsense
Charlotte, N.C.: Do we really need our next president acting as if Carter’s death is a personal affront to him? Bad enough that we have Trump’s toady Blakeman in Nassau County refusing to fly the flag at half-staff for Carter. Now we have the big man himself throwing a tantrum like a spoiled little 3-year-old. Where on Earth are the grown-ups in the room? Barbara Haynes
We’ll get who we raise
Bronx: My fervent wish would be that my children and grandchildren grow up to emulate Jimmy Carter and not the president-elect. For those who disagree, I sincerely hope your wish comes true. John Cirolia
Like him, then?
Brookfield, Conn.: To Voicer Pat Ryan: I need to ask, will you encourage yourself, your children and your grandchildren to follow President Biden’s ways? Lying, cheating, using the Justice Department against his enemies and selling out his country in an influence-peddling racket? As for how the rest of the world views our choice, considering the last four years, I don’t think they’ll have a problem with it. I notice that when Trump visits a foreign country, they don’t hide him in the back row. Fred Schoeneborn
Just typical
Brick, N.J.: To Voicer Pat Ryan: You say that Trump lies, cheats, breaks the law and puts people down. So, like Biden and every other politician? Steve Kirby
Impotent justice
Wyckoff, N.J.: In “No Don, you must pay the price: judge” (Jan. 4), you report that Manhattan Judge Juan Merchan will sentence Trump to “unconditional discharge,” meaning he “won’t face jail time, probation or any other form of punishment.” So now in America, the Supreme Court has ruled that a president is immune from prosecution for official acts committed while in office. A state judge has ruled that a president-elect who was found guilty of 34 felony counts by a unanimous jury will face no punishment. Can we finally disabuse ourselves of the fairytale that “equal justice under law” is a core American legal principle? It should be sandblasted off the façade of the Supreme Court building and never uttered again by any law enforcement officer. Marc Schaeffer
Obama of Oz
Bronx: The judge who denied Trump’s request to dismiss the charges against him was told by Biden (who was told by Obama) how to rule against Trump, and that’s the truth. We all know who is running the country, and it is not Biden — it is B.O. Jimmy Durda
You sure?
Massapequa Park, L.I.: I thought House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries’ speech after the election of Speaker Mike Johnson was great. My favorite part was when he said, “There are no election deniers on the Democratic side of the aisle.” I could not believe he said that with a straight face. I guess he forgot about Hillary Clinton, Adam Schiff or the dozens of others who still claim the 2016 election was stolen with the help of the Russians. How quickly they forget. Raymond P. Moran
What did you say then?
Pleasantville, N.Y.: I would like to know where Voicer Nick Smith and other pro-Palestinian supporters were when Hamas was kidnapping and killing Israeli civilians who were celebrating a music festival before this all started. My guess is they were silent about that, only complaining after Israel responded. Had this happened to Americans or any other country’s people, I bet Smith and many others would say that any action would be reasonable to get them back. As a native of Israel, I’m appalled that it is the only country that gets condemned when fighting back after being attacked by such a group. Also, the only reason the death toll is so high on the Palestinian side is because Hamas has a long history of placing their own people into harm’s way and couldn’t care less about them being caught in the crossfire. Tal Barzilai
Gross grub
Bronx: I am writing about the food being served to the patients at Montefiore Einstein Hospital on Eastchester Road in the Bronx. It is disgusting to look at and to eat. Something has to be done about it — yesterday. Mary Caggiano
