Waiting on a refund update? Check the IRS’ work

Brentwood, L.I.: This is a warning to those federal taxpayers who filed as “Married filing jointly” and are using the IRS website “Where’s my refund” to check on the status of their refund. In my case, the IRS screwed up the input when processing the receipt of my return.

I mailed my return on Feb. 3 and on March 1 started using the website to check on the status of my refund. I’ve checked each day since then. The response was always the same: no record of my return.

On Monday, after I got the “no record” routine, I thought out of the box and wondered if the IRS was stupid enough to have used the “spouse’s” Social Security Number (SSN) rather than mine. No, they wouldn’t do that, would they? The 1040 form asks for “your” SSN and “spouse’s” SSN. The website tells you to enter “your” SSN.

Well guess what? That’s what the IRS did. They used my wife’s SSN to register the receipt of our tax return. Once I went in using my wife’s SSN, I received a positive response.

So, taxpayers checking on the status of your refund, if you get a “no record” type reply from the website, try using your spouse’s SSN. I have been using this website for many years and this is the first time this happened. W.J. Van Sickle

Smart investment

Brooklyn: When I attended Brooklyn College in the 1960s, it was free. It should be free now for NYC high school graduates. The ensuant benefit for NYC will be worth it. Herman Kolender

Unmournable

Peters Township, Pa.: A television commentator speaking about the death of O.J. Simpson referenced “those who mourn him.” Who is mourning him? I suspect it is only his pitiable children, both of whose parents were taken from them through no fault of their own. The man had everything, including the admiration of the world, and he threw it all away. Oren Spiegler

Statistically safer

Brooklyn: To Voicer Patrice Perticone: How long have you been living in New York City? Did you live here during Rudy Giuliani’s time in office? Do you realize there were 42% more murders in Rudy’s last year than there were in 2023? There were 673 murders/manslaughters in 2000 and 391 in 2023. The problem is that the media, especially the right-wing media, can only report the crime and not the good things happening in this country. I’m 65 and I feel significantly safer today than when the great crimefighter Giuliani was in power! Harvey Kaplan

Right to respond

Bronx: Keep shilling for Israel instead of reporting the facts (“Iran’s true promise of terror,” editorial, April 16). Israel attacked Iran by bombing their consulate in Syria and killing seven people. You fail to mention that fact. If Israel has a right to defend itself, doesn’t Iran as well? W. Twirley

Truer support

Atlanta: Saying “enough” does nothing to help the Palestinians who have been suffering under Hamas misgovernment for 17 years. All people of goodwill should be urging Hamas to free the hostages and surrender. The Arab and Western nations that helped prevent 99% of Iranian-fired missiles and drones from hitting Israel last weekend have proven that Israel has partners able to join in Israel’s effort to demilitarize Gaza and de-radicalize the Palestinians. These are necessary first steps for the eventual establishment of a Palestinian state coexisting peacefully with the nation-state of the Jews. Toby F. Block

Bloc on lock

Kew Gardens Hills: Voicer Marc Savino suggests Benjamin Netanyahu tell President Biden that if he withholds military aid to Israel, he will lose the Jewish vote. I highly doubt that. Biden can nuke Israel, choose Louis Farrakhan as his running mate and ban kosher slaughter in the U.S. and still get 70% of the Jewish vote. Barry Koppel

Bought naught

Kearny, N.J.: Voicer Al Schwarzler asked for my solution to rising tolls, taxes and public transit fares in New Jersey. I thought I’d been clear: No to all of it. Governments shouldn’t be sticking it to their citizenry by following the corporate model of “greedflation,” and doing so only increases the pain we’re all feeling. Plus, there’s absolutely no justification for any of these increases: Despite going from the lowest gas tax in the nation to one of the highest, N.J.’s roads are terrible; the N.J. Turnpike and Garden State Parkway bonds were paid off 20 years ago and the roads were supposed to become free, but they reneged on that and now are getting rid of toll collectors while raising tolls. And anyone who rides NJTransit buses and trains knows they’re terrible, unreliable and staffed with rude employees. So, again, my “solution”? No increases! John Woodmaska

Fine print

Forest Hills: I have been a Daily News reader and subscriber for a long time. Over the years, I’ve seen different things change at the Daily News, including the font. I used to wear glasses, but the magic of Lasik changed everything for me. It is nice to not have to rely on glasses for everything — except the Daily News. You guys have changed the type size in the paper, making it so small that I need magnifiers to read it. I’d like to know why the change and can you change it back? I don’t want to wear my magnifiers in order to read my favorite paper. Steve Dolman

Switch it up

Mount Kisco, N.Y.: Back in the early 1950s, the N.Y. Giants had a switch-hitting third baseman named Henry Thompson, who, like Francisco Lindor now, was in a slump batting left-handed. He started batting right-handed against right-handed pitching, and it helped. Lindor should try that, too. Alan Appelbaum

Gonna miss him

Saddle Brook, N.J.: I was saddened to hear about the retirement of John Sterling from the Yankees radio booth. As a person who spends a great deal of time outdoors, I listened to countless Yankee games that John broadcasted. His unmistakable style of reporting events on the field will never be duplicated. Although he may have missed some calls in recent years, it was always a good call to listen to John. I wish him all the best in retirement. Joseph M. Savoia

Amazin’ Met

Cibolo, Texas: I am a lifelong fan of the New York Mets. I go back to the days when the Mets played at the Polo Grounds before moving to Shea Stadium. Of course, those were less than the glory days of 1969. Having said that, I am deeply saddened to read about the passing of Jerry Grote. Frankly, Grote doesn’t get enough credit for what he did for the Mets. Sure, we talk about Tommie Agee, Cleon Jones and Tom Seaver. However, Grote was the heart and soul of the Amazin’ Mets in 1969. He was one of the best defensive catchers in the game, and among the best at throwing runners out trying to steal second base. More importantly, Grote knew how to handle the Mets’ pitching staff. His productive year at the plate in 1969 helped to propel the Mets into the postseason. If it wasn’t for Grote’s excellence behind the plate, there wouldn’t have been an Amazin’ Mets team that year. John Di Genio

Hat trick?

Utica, N.Y.: Between the earthquake and the solar eclipse, this seems to be a time of rare phenomena coming our way. Some believe that these rarities often come in threes. If that’s so, maybe we can look forward to a political earthquake where Donald J. Trump is held accountable for his actions and Republicans decide to legislate in the interests of Americans who are not billionaire donors. Doubtful, but there’s always hope — and voting. Jeff and Joan Ganeles

Wrong song

Glendale: Voicer Mike Dooley either misremembers or attempts to embellish his recall of the 1963 eclipse of the sun, in which he indicates that after the eclipse, he recalls “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles blasting from a dormitory room at the University of Massachusetts. Considering that the song was written by George Harrison in 1969, his account does not seem plausible, to say the least. Thomas Murawski

OPINION

On April 16, 2024, the State of New Jersey Clean Air Council took up the important and timely topic of “Reducing the Impact of Food Waste on Air Quality and Climate Change.”  While it may not be obvious at first glance, the science on the connection between food waste and climate change is clear.  The decomposition of organic matter, or food waste, in landfills creates methane, a potent greenhouse gas whose warming effect is more than 80 times powerful as the same amount of carbon dioxide over a 20-year period.

The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection reports that food waste is the single most common material sent to landfills, making up approximately 22 percent of New Jersey’s solid waste.  That equates to a staggering 325 pounds of food for each New Jersey resident.

An alternative to sending food waste to landfills and incinerators is to compost it into a beneficial soil amendment product.  Composting, which may occur on a small-scale level with a backyard composting pile or at the commercial level with state-of-the-art facilities, has other benefits besides reducing methane emissions and providing a valuable product that cycles nutrients back into the soil.  Diverting food waste to composting facilities can save space in landfills, extending their lifespan, and reduce our contributions to waste incinerators, which are often located in overburdened communities.

In 2020, New Jersey has attempted to encourage more food waste composting by requiring large food waste generators, such as industrial food processors, supermarkets, restaurants or medical facilities, to recycle their food waste at an authorized food waste recycling facility within 25 road miles.  Unfortunately, there are only two authorized food waste recycling facilities in New Jersey, neither of which produces compost as an end product, and there is one commercial scale composting facility that is pending approval by the state.  This is no where near the scale needed to capture all the food waste generated in New Jersey.

The cost of not having a robust food waste recycling or composting program in New Jersey is that it hinders our ability to reach our goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050, limits local government’s ability to meet increased resident demand for more sustainable ways to handle waste, and does not support our agricultural community by providing a valuable soil amendment for their crops.  And, unlike some other actions needed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the development of compost facilities can take place in the short-term to achieve immediate results and jump-start an in-state circular economy that reduces waste and pollution, develops high value products and restores our ecosystem.

As a leader in environmental and climate change action, New Jersey must do more to move forward with policies, rules and investments to support companies, local governments, non-profit organizations and community-based groups that want to develop food waste composting facilities.

Here are some of ideas that the New Jersey Clean Air Council should consider as it reviews how to reduce food waste and control emissions from food disposal:

• Eliminate uncertainty in the marketplace through the consistent treatment and application of laws and regulations during the county review process for the siting of compost facilities through the development of guidelines.
• Update the permitting process to include a tiered permit structure that is based on the modern science of composting. Rules regarding composting have not been updated for nearly forty years and New Jersey is falling behind other states.
• Increase public education on the importance of reducing food waste, as well as the benefits of diverting what is left from landfills or waste incinerators.
• Ensure parity for food waste composting facilities with facilities that use food waste to produce biogas in terms of state rules, policies, climate goals and investment.

As New Jersey moves forward with important clean energy projects, increasing electric vehicle purchases and charging infrastructure, and building decarbonization, it should not leave behind one of the easiest and immediate ways to achieve our climate goals – composting.

Christina PioCosta-Lahue is the founder and President of Vivaria Ecologics. Throughout her career, she has worked in food and agriculture systems in a range of contexts – from agribusiness multinationals to government projects with smallholder farmers – and geographies – from Latin America to sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, she has held roles in the US and abroad in the education sector, government advisory work and real estate and urban planning. Christina holds a Master in City Planning from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a BA in Growth and Structure of Cities from Haverford College.