Reader Feedback: Mosquitoes vs. Spraying, Boating Safety

On Thursday, the day after with in an attempt to battle West Nile, Patch asked readers what they thought was more ?

Sixty six percent of voters said they believe the spraying is worse than the actual mosquitoes.

One reader even exressed concersn about the potential hazardous health and environmental effects spraying may pose.

"Disgusted! One day will look back at this waste of taxpayer expense, while our local waters and soil get infected with chemicals that we really don't know enough about. And this is all for a very few reported cases of West Nile!" wrote DeClemente Portraiture.

What do you think? Take our poll and tell us in the comments.

A county bill introduced this week before the Suffolk County Legislature would or risk getting fined.

We asked our readers to weigh in on .

Seventy five percent of poll voters said they support a mandated boating course.

Tom S wrote: "If anyone were to spend a summer weekend on the Great South Bay or L.I.Sound, the need for the immediate implimentation of mandatory boating safety courses would become obvious to them."

Commentor Laurie worried the courses might not be effective.

"Unfortunately, most of the issues we have are due to people who don't think that the laws apply to them, rather than igonorance of them. We have had many close calls with other boats who who were going way too fast, riding too close, etc. If there are going to be mandatory boating courses, then I would hope that the money collected would be applied to putting more patrols on the waterways, dredging the inlets, etc. I would hate for the money to be earmarked for something other than the population from which it is being collected."

What do you think?