Voice of the People, Feb. 21, 2022

Prosecute public workers in benefit fraud now

Regarding the recent letter, "Public workers in fraud not held accountable":

The letter writer questioned the status of the investigation into the insurance fraud case involving public employees. That issue still burns after three years with no apparent progress being made, or is it purposely being buried and allowed to die of its own volition?

The primary offenders seem to be those that we are to place the most trust in -- police, firefighters and educators. Are they being protected for some reason?

While several of the kingpins have been publicly named repeatedly and a select few pleaded guilty, with only a couple being sentenced, the bulk of those guilty continue to occupy positions of trust, collecting their paychecks, fattening their generous pensions, and still utilizing the benefit plans they defrauded.

We pay these criminals to protect us and teach our children, but can they be trusted? What do they teach our kids? What else are they capable of stealing from a trusting public while we put our blind faith in them, thinking that they are doing right and teaching honesty and good values?

Name them now, take their jobs and their pensions, and maybe restore some faith in the judicial system. This has gone on far too long and those that benefitted from this scam need to make restitution and be properly and publicly recognized, punished and banned from public office forever.

Michael Reilly

Absecon

People should support offshore wind energy

New Jersey has a unique opportunity to be a national leader in building home-grown offshore wind projects up and down its coastlines. I write in support of bringing the proven environmental and economic benefits of offshore wind to the Jersey Shore.

With hundreds of miles of shoreline, strong wind flows in the Atlantic Ocean and robust labor force, New Jersey is uniquely positioned to build the nation's largest network of responsible developed offshore wind projects that can provide renewable, reliable energy to power our homes, businesses and economy.

The Garden State is going to be a hub for offshore wind, and the manufacturing and assembly facilities being built here would serve offshore wind projects throughout the country. Small businesses up and down the shore are already growing, revitalizing Main Streets in communities across the region.

To bolster the state economy and combat the climate crisis, it's time for New Jersey to embrace clean, renewable offshore wind energy. Investing in offshore wind means investing in the creation of thousands of good-paying union jobs and year-round economy for overburdened and low-income communities at the Jersey Shore. Not only will the economy benefit from the development and use of offshore wind, but the environment will too.

Season after season, stronger and forceful storms are slamming the coast, causing flooding and damaging homes, businesses, boardwalks and beaches. Sunny day flooding is a fact of life in many towns as sea levels rise and threaten towns on the barrier islands and along the back bay. Climate driven disasters will hit communities of color and low wealth communities particularly hard. This is a chance to protect and preserve the shores for generations to come.

Green energy is responsible, not radical -- and ignoring the climate emergency one moment longer invites disaster to the shores. People should support offshore wind.

Frank Worrell

Ocean City