Letters to the Editor

Increase for 2nd Car, too

To the Editor,
I live at Southbridge Towers and I park two cars in the garage, as does about 200 or 300 other people, that ICON rents from Southbridge.

When ICON took over the garage, the second car was given an increase immediately and doubled the rent to $136.

Your article in the Downtown Express noted the increase of $30 for the first car only, but another increase for the second car of $60 was left out of the article.

This means two increases in less than six months for the second car, for a total increase of $128, bringing the new charge to $198. (This from an original rent of $68.)

Parkers can also look forward to another review in January 2012, and most assuredly another increase.

Respectfully,
Shirley Espriel

Compliments to the (current) SBT Board

To the Editor,
Speaking as someone who was a member of the Southbridge Towers Board of Directors from 2002-2005.  I find it hard to believe to believe that Victor Papa actually thinks that our current board should have been able to get a complete resident parking list from Chelnik. At that time a correct count was important since the contract with Chelnik said that Southbridge Towers would get additional rent from them based on the amount of money Chelnik got from the garage.

Papa was also president during the time that the garage began to need major repairs.  The poor condition of the garage led to some serious falls by residents, including at least one board member that ended in injury and a costly insurance settlement.

The failure of past boards, including Mr. Papa’s, to deal with the problem of accurate counts of the total number and types of parkers using our garage and the need for major repairs led to the situation that the current board inherited.  I believe that the fairest way to deal with the over capacity problem is that the people who use the garage should pay a relatively small monthly increase so that everyone can stay in the garage. Though I hate to pay it, a small increase by those who use the garage is a better solution than having a general maintenance increase that would involve all cooperators, including the majority who do not use the garage.  I compliment the board for coming up with a fair solution to a difficult problem.
Louis Trazino

Facts on “Obamacare”

To the Editor,
In the August 4-10, 2010 issue there was a Letter to the Editor “Say no to Obamacare” by George Kotta.

I understand that there are strong feelings on both sides of this plan but I find it hard to believe that anyone either vetted this letter for the “factual” information it contained or checked for typos.

The reference to 51 percent of employers losing their plans - this concerns grandfather status among other issues (as I understand it) and is not a given number by any means. If so, I would imagine there will be quite a protest by the general public and one that I would join in on.

The 900 pages - I understand it is more like 2,000.

The 150 new federal agencies - I see numbers from 30 to 159.

The trillions in cost over the next decade — trillion, yes, plural, no.

The seventy-and-a-half percent deductibility of medical expenses — try seven-and-a-half percent. This is a fact.

Whether one agrees, disagrees or is just not interested with the plan, let’s get the numbers right and if they cannot be verified don’t print them.

Thank you,
Marilyn R. Masaryk