Everyone, including students, can read and understand calorie counter postings (“Pol’s Plan for McD-Free Zones,” April 20).

Councilmember Eric Gioia is demagoging on this issue as a vehicle to obtain media coverage in his quest to become public advocate.

High obesity rates have just as much to do with the sedentary lifestyle of young people who spend more time on iPods and home computers than playing sports or exercising after school. Following Gioia’s logic, we should also ban stores from selling ice cream, pizza, cake and cookies near schools, as well.

With a growing unemployment rate, why deny New Yorkers the opportunity to work or patronize these stores?

Gioia & Co. would be better off staying away from spending Sundays at City Hall because of their never ending stream of crazy and irrelevant ideas.

Larry Penner, Great Neck