Our Readers Respond...

Dear Editor:

My name is Nicole Zumbo, and I just wanted to thank you for not forgetting my friend Robert Viscome. I live in West Harrison, and went to school with Rob all my life, from kindergarten, until that fateful day. I think it is great
how you have persued this story, and have reminded the people of Westchester of the lies, and deceit, that Jeanine Pirro has cast on this case, and many others. I myself witnessed John, and Beth’s, public mourning for Rob, and fell victim their deceit as well. They, along with Jeanine, the detectives, and those young men and
women who watched as my good friend lie dying on the floor, do not deserve to be let of the hook as easily as they have. I think of Rob everyday; this time five years ago we were celebrating in Cancun, Mexico together, and now look. I miss him dearly as do so many that had the good fortune of knowing him.

I thank you from the bottom of my heart for trying your best to remind people of him, and the injustice that surrounded his case. You are absolutely right, it is never to late to tell the truth, and I hope one day the guilty parties involved will stand up, and tell the community that they were wrong. West Harrison, misses him dearly, and we still five years later are mourning our loss, but with articles like, “It’s Never to Late to Tell the Truth” we
have hope that people have not forgotten our fallen friend. May his life have not been in vain. Thank You.

Nicole Zumbo

Dear Editor:

There have been several articles from the NY Law Journal covering Judith Kaye’s recent hoopla over New York State Supreme Court judicial pay raises. Their salaries are not meritbased compensation as $136,700 per year is guaranteed across the board whether their workload on the bench is productive or not. It is likewise guaranteed whether their competency has been questioned by litigants and brought before judicial review
boards, and when their judicial immunity essentially “unionizes” them as a protected work force. To my knowledge, a judicial seat is not forced upon them with whip and chain but, rather, is a career choice judges seek, like any other career application choice. Similarly, to other salaried employees, if satisfaction with the position is lacking, a career move is available.

Surely, a public service position is not the usual route for those eager to earn handsome salaries. Could there be perks to the job that are not disclosed to the general public’s knowledge that lure judges to these $136,700 positions of deprivation? On April 10 The New York Times reported that “the pay issue has galvanized
the bench. Judge Kaye said that some judges have urged work stoppages or slowdowns, which she would not condone.” Some lawyers and many litigants opine that there were in place, by the bench, work slowdowns and stopages already, if complaints of such are any indication. In fact, Judith Kaye said her proposed reforms, for which she asked an additional twenty months as Chief Judge, was to address the snail’s pace of litigation in a
court decried as crowded, costly, and traumatizing to the public.

It may be worthy to note that those before the New York State Supreme Court who are asked to pay the exorbitant and excessive fees of attorneys may not themselves get cost of living salary increases to afford the often frivilous litigation fees brought by these judges’ peers at the Bar. Ain’t life tough?

Westchester Guardian Reader
Name Withheld

Dear Editor:

I am writing to question the Con-ict of Interest in the One Stop Employment Center of Mt. Vernon. It is
the only One Stop owned by the Department of Social Services. Do you think they are going to refer jobs to
people on welfare, the very people they make so much money off ?

No they aren’t, they are the bloodsuckers of the poor. DSS has over 65,000 welfare recipients most of whom are not eligible for employment because of the various service programs and Workfare they must attend. The One Stop Employment Center has Welfare oriented programs, which have nothing to do with employment.

Department of Labor is a State run program, so how is it our local county government owns a One Stop Employment Center? People who want to work shouldn’t have to deal with the Department of Social Services
at all. The name of the Center is even a lie, you’d think there would be jobs lined up at a place called One Stop Employment, but in reality it’s just another place to lure people into the Welfare system.

Tracy King

Dear Editor:

Last week major New York City newspapers published articles covering the most recent actions of New York
State’s Chief Judge, Judith Kaye, entitled, amongst others, Kaye Calls Pay Impasse ‘Infuriating’, Raises Prospect Of Suit If Raises Not Approved; Kaye Prepared To Sue For Judicial Raises.

Then, there was an editorial in the New York Law Journal entitled, Bar Should Mobilize For Judicial Salary
Hikes, which now causes me to observe that the litigant/public opinion on these matters should be expressed to the same legislators as the Law Journal and other newspapers propose members of the Bar lift their pen and sound their voice to.

Sheldon Silver, Joseph Bruno and individual Assemblypersons may well be interested to learn that not every New York State citizen believes these jurists deserve a cost of living increase paid from taxpayers’ contributions.

Where are the performance reviews before these raises are considered earned? Where in the State Constitution
is it written State Supreme Court Jurists’ salaries are commensurate with the salary of Federal District Court
judges?

A few weeks ago, Judge Milonas suggested the mandatory retirement age of judges be extended. Last week, Judge Kaye proposed to ask State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli and State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo whether the Judiciary may unilaterally move to increase judicial salaries should the Governor and Legislature not enact the pay hike. How will the acknowledged needed reforms of the Court occur when all emphasis has been on jurists, the length of their stay on the bench, and the compensation they receive while they’re sitting there?

Some twenty-month fix-it job, Judge Kaye!

A Concerned Litigant