Re: “Booker asks Maine to embrace ‘moral moment’ ” (Sept. 8, Page B1):
Sen. Cory Booker recently told Maine voters that “we will win this election by showing the best of who we are.” Unfortunately, Sen. Booker’s actions during his tenure as mayor of Newark, New Jersey, demonstrated that he is among the worst of policymakers.
According to the New Jersey Library Association: “During (Booker’s) tenure as mayor of Newark, NJ – our largest city where one-third of the population lives below the poverty line – funding for the Newark Public Library was severely cut. Three of 10 branches were permanently closed during this time. Hours were reduced at all remaining branches and at the main library. Staff was forced to endure a 40 percent pay cut for more than 15 weeks in 2010. … While other departments endured cuts as well, none were cut as severely as the library. Historically, in times of economic distress, library services are used extensively in urban communities, but Mayor Booker turned a blind eye to the vital services offered by the Newark Public Library.”
Sorry, Senator – this disqualifies you in my book.
Ellen D. Murphy
Portland
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.