Letters.

Keeping Score

I have to take exception to Mandalay Entertainment executive Ken Stickney's comment, referring to the success of the Dayton Dragons and other Mandalay minor league teams, that "When people leave our games they don't even know who has won or lost. They don't care." ("Baseball a Minor Obsession for Mandalay Entertainment," Feb. 24.)

Fans follow winning teams. The Dragons have qualified for the playoffs each of the last three years, whining the first round in both 2000 and 2001. The fact that the nearby Cincinnati Reds had a mediocre record during the same period has pushed fans to a local winning team.

Kevin McLaughlin

Long Beach

Funding Small Business

I am writing in response to the Feb. 17 politics column item "Small Business Flap," which dealt with my Business Perspective commentary on the state budget crisis entitled "Let's Get Serious."

My intent was to show that the business community was willing to take a close look at programs it considers important and evaluate the need for government funding. It was not to question the value of small business development centers, but to identify more suitable and--in the current crisis--more stable funding.

I did not suggest terminating Small Business Development Centers or question their value, but that we explore other, more efficient and sustainable ways to fund SBDCs in light of the state budget crisis.

If we are not willing to put our favorite programs on the table and subject them to the scrutiny of the budget process, how can we expect others to do the same? if no one is willing to accept cuts we will face more and more tax increases. This is not acceptable and is not an efficient way to address the budget crisis.

Now is a time to find alternative funding sources to protect our favorite programs, and be willing to commit other less valuable programs to the chopping block.

Russell J. Hammer

President and chief executive

Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce