We are all a family here, and I am glad to see this interaction.
You see, Mike? I TOLD you they were going to love you!
As to your Neon mod, there will be no issues with cutting through. The suggestion about cutting a new gasket from flashing (a soda can will do as well in a pinch) is an excellent one. Worst case scenario is the engine will not want to idle.
I recommend starting with a 1/8" hole to replace that MASSIVE opening. The vehicle may struggle to idle at first, but the computer will usually accommodate the adjustment in a few days. If, after a week, it still hasn't started idling correctly, then simply increase the diameter of the hole ever so slightly.
To give you an idea, I have reduced the opening to 1/8" and am running 5.7 L engines on that little bit of air. Yours may be the same. The only way to find out is to do it!
Just remember you can always make the hole LARGER, but making it smaller means a new gasket, so opt on the side of caution. It's a simple adjustment should the engine fail to idle.
I do recommend a thorough cleaning while the valve is off the engine to enable it to move more appropriately.
Ron