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EditorialsLet the Legislators KnowMost people do not pay much attention to how elections areactually run and who appears on the ballot. But the recent changes inthe rules for the 1980 primary elections voted by the DemocraticState Committee will leave voters powerless in the selection ofdelegates to the 1980 Democratic National Presidential NominatingConvention. There is still time, however, to tell State legislators whowill have to pass a bill to ratify the changes how voters feel aboutthem.In a departure from previous years the Democratic StateCommittee voted to let voters express their preference for aPresidential candidate, but leave the delegate selection to partyofficials. In 1976 on the other hand, voters selected delegates fromeach New York State Congressional district to represent them at theNational Democratic Convention where Presidential and VicePresidential candidates are chosen to represent the party.The ballot also listed each delegate preference for a Presidentialcandidate and they were pledged to vote for him only on the firstballot giving the voters some sense that their wishes were carriedout. Now, however, the State Committee plans to hold Congressionaldistrict caucuses to choose the delegates from each Congressionaldistrict reflecting the vote in the primary.It appears to us that the only people benefiting from this curioussimplification of the ballot are me party officials, bven though thevoters might have expressed their preference for a Presidentialcandidate in the primary, there seems to be absolutely no way toinsure that the delegates selected by this method will actually castmore than a perfunctory first ballot vote for the voters%u2019 preference.Since State legislators will have to meet in a special session laterthis year to set the laws for the 1980 primary election, they need toknow that the State Committee plans deserve to be soundlydefeated.Sound Off Readers Talk BackWant ProtectionAs mothers of 10-year old boys, we are dismayed by the lack of police attention to the increasing number of attacks on our children and their possessions. During a time span of ten days, the following incidents have taken place. Item: a 10-year old threatened and pushed off his bike by a teenager, the latter escaoing on a stolen bike. Scene of incident: Berkeley Place and Seventh Avenue. Item: A 10-year old circled three times by a cycling teenager, who, on the fourth circle, lunged at the younger boy and tore a gold cross from a chain around his neck. Scene of incident: Sixth Avenue in front of St. Augustine%u2019s Church, item: a teenager, guarding a 9-year old boy%u2019s bike, kicked in stomach by a bigger teenager who took off with the prized bike. Scene of incident: Seventh Avenue in front of Al%u2019s Toyland.In each of the preceding incidents, the police were either called or stopped in their cruising patrol cars. Each time the boys were told that nothing could be done and the police continued on, in pursuit of more serious crimes, namely murder! It seems that murder is the only thing of any consequence!We are not saying that murder is not a higher priority than robbery. What we are saying is that we want some police protection for our children who have a right to ride their bikes in their neighborhood. We have taught our children not to ride on the deserted and therefore dangerous streets, but we do expect them to be able to ride bikes and walk with less-than-ostentatious jewelry on the more heavily populated blocks of Sixth and Seventh Avenues without fear of being mugged or ripped off!Other parents who have had similar experiences happen to their children are urged to contact The Phoenix. Perhaps together we can make Park Slope a safe place for our children!The lad whose cross was ripped from his neck was crying hysterically. When the police arrived, they did not even offer to drive him home. We understand that the police are busy, but we%u2019d like some compassion for our little ones! %u2014PeggyGrossman, Joan Blackburn, Jackie Conner,Park Slope.Growing PainsThere has been a recent wave of criticism about the houses that are being shown for sale in the Park Slope area. That criticism is partially unfair, inasmuch as many of the people looking for brownstones are those people who are coming back from suburbia or who are in the process of ppting for a brownstone in place of suburbia. Park Slope is a neighborhood of mixed races, as well as mixed incomes. There are few, if any, blocks that do not represent just about *%u25a0 %u2022 %u2022 tt-u %u201e every nanunamy m uc ia. mwmv is from the very poor to the very high.Park Slope, Fort Greene, Prospect Heights are three areas in the process of change, in the process of %u201cgrowing%u201d , therefore having what brownstoners cal! %u201cgrowing pains.%u201d But with the Slope thereare only about 2 areas that the renovations can go, and that is the South to Prospect Avenue and the down slope, to 3rd Ave. And there is much activity on some blocks in these areas. The Baltic Street lot which has stood vacant so long since the City tore down the brownstones, is now in the stage of research as to how to build on that area, school, houses, stores.We who live on the 5th Avenue corridor, find that there are many brownstones for sale . . . some even with details . . . but all need work, a little loving care, in order to become those houses these people are searching for. The farther up the Slope the higher the price you%u2019ll pay for a house. So if you get out and look, you will find.But beware . . . those of us active in the various organizations that are working to keep these %u201c brownstone revival areas%u201d the ethnic neighborhood it is, will expect you to join the varied block associations, The Park Slope Civic Council, the United Block Association and the 5th Avenue Committee.However, there is that fear among us that the buying will push out those very people we need in the neighborhood. We who live here are working to try and find ways to keep them here . . . as well as welcoming people who want to come and live among us. %u2014Lew Smith, BerkeleyPlace.Request PoliceI am enclosing a copy of a letter I recently sent to Commissioner McGuire of the New York City Police Department in which I request that a Neighborhood Stabilization Unit be assigned to a neighborhood within my district. I would appreciate it if you would print the letter your next edition. Abraham G. Gerges,Council Member, 29th District.Dear Commissioner McGuire:It has been brought to my attention that the blocks along third Ave. between Atlantic Ave. and Dean St. in Brooklyn have been plagued with an influx of prostitutes and pimps. Through meetings with the precinct captain regarding this matter I am aware that the police are experiencing a problem with a shortage of staff.I realize it is difficult under the present circumstances to assign regular patrols to correct the situation.In recent months, however, the problems with prostitutes has become untenable. On Pacific St. the prostitutes have become especially brazen. The residents of the neighborhood have become quite frustrated by the situation and are upset by the lack of support they feel they are receiving from the City. During a recent demonstration staged to vocalize their concerns the community groups was confronted by the prostitutes and potentially violent confrontations resulted.The influx of prostitutes into the neighborhood is creating grave difficulties for a community that is attempting to revive itself. I therefore feel that priority should be given to assigning the neighborhood Stabilization Unit to the area. I would greatly appreciate it if you would investigate the situation and report back to mewith your proposed course of action. Thank you for your cooperation. %u2014Abraham G.Gerges.Strongly ObjectsIn regards to your August 23 edition concerning prostitution in Boerum Hill, I strongly object to your choice of photographs on the cover. (Neighbors Take To The Streets Over Women Of The Streets).As a newspaper serving a multi-racial community, I would hope a little more sensitivity could be shown. Racism can be overt as well as subtle- active, as well as passive. Placing two photographs in juxtaposition, both pictorially and morally, creates conscious and unconscious attitudes and beliefs. Black prostitutes on the left, white women on the right. What would an adolescent or adult, grappling with bigotry, anger and fear in our community subliminally intuit upon seeing these pictures?In the future I would hope that your visual messages will be equally in quality to your fine reportorial writing%u2014Louis A.Esposito, 11th Street.Oasis of GreenIn the Aug. 16 article, %u201cRecycling Siteonies,%u201d you mention a %u201c weed filledrecently vacated lot.%u201dFar from being a %u201cweed filled recently vacated lot%u201d our neighboring one half acre (plus or minus) plot facing Greene Ave. between Carlton Ave. and Adelphi St. has been a wonderful oasis of green for 5 decades or more. One local historian dates the lot from the 1910%u2019s when the wooden Home for the Blind was demolished. The tall thicket of native bamboo that dominates the lot requires a minimum of care and offers a welcome country feeling to a much abused locale. The open space nicely balances the bulk of the two adjoining hospital buildings with the rubble-strewn lots adjacent to the southwest.This lot has been appreciated for what it is and needs no help except for repair to a section of the fence on Carlton. I would suggest that the Pratt Area Community Council Recycling Project %u201c save%u201d some other lot-there are plenty of them that are truly vacant (also closer to the Pratt Area). A junkyard surrounded by marigolds should not replace our greenbelt.With the recent decision to destroy 86 Greene Ave., a beautiful and unique brownstone located in the Landmark District, this particular takeover of our local lot without notification of local owners and residents and without approval of Community Planning Board #2 seems to indicate that Greene Ave. in Fort Greene is indeed %u201c up for Grabs%u201d .%u2014William Dudan, Washington Park.L/IOOVJMICHV%u00abIVsllVSi IAfter reading the article %u201c Mayor Asks Exemptions And Delays For Voter Approved Decentralization of City Services,%u201d (Phoenix, Aug. 9) I thought you might be interested in a letter sent to each individualcommunity board member in Brooklyn, indicating my dissatisfaction with the Mayor%u2019s report on coterminality as Chairman of the Coterminality Committee of the City Wide Coalition of Community Boards. I am asking that you publish this, since this issue should be of concern to all your readers as well as all citizens of New York, thank you. %u2014Herbert, Kramer, Chairperson, Community Board #17, Brooklyn.Dear Fellow Board Member:I write this letter with a sense of regret and a sense ol urgency. As you may recall, I personally visited each of the Boards in Brooklyn to explain the Mayor%u2019s interim report on the implementation of coterminality. I had strong reservations about the interim report. The final report has been issued and it does not even begin to correct the major problems highlighted earlier.The City has completely failed to set forth its plan for managerial decentralization. They seek to remove, the major portions of H.R.A., C.D.A., and H.P.D. from the requirements of coterminality. The total picture is an indication that the City, by manipulation and design, is seeking to undo the power of the Boards and the vote of the people. The specific complaints have been set out in the coterminality report of the Citywide Coalition, a copy of which has been distributed, and further copies of which are available from the Coalition and the Brooklyn Boro Board resolution on H.R.A. coterminality available from the Brooklyn Boro President%u2019s Office.The conclusion is inescapable that each individual Board member must do something to save the future of the Boards and a truly meaningful decentralization of City services. It is suggested that you individually do the following:%u2022Contact your City Councilman and ask him to vote against any changes in the City Charter decreasing the power of the Boards and giving legislative mandates to the City to further destroy the power of the Boards. The Mayor%u2019s report calls for 5 exceptions to coterminality which must be passed by the City Council.%u2022 Have a meeting of your Board and bring up a resolution condemning the Mayor%u2019s report as being destructive of the power of the Boards.%u2022 Ask every civic organization in your community to write a letter to the Mayor condemning the report as being a violation of the spirit and the mandate of the Charter.It is particularly ironic that while communities in Brooklyn and Aewhere in the City are losing police precincts that they have grown accustomed to, and poverty designations arc being forced on communities which do not want them, all in the name of coterminality: that the City is not keeping its commitment of coterminality. The sacrifices which are being asked of the people of East Flatbush, Midwood, and Bensonhurst are in vain and they are simply being used to further the desires of the commissioners who do not wish to share powers with the communities of the city.Act now, the future of government in the City of New York in the next decade is at stake. %u2014Herbert Kramer, Chairperson,C.B. #17.Aug. 30,1979, The PHOENIX, Page 7