PUBLIC FORUM : LAUGHED TILL I CRIED.

Dear Ms. Vicky Castro. I want to thank you for your recent responses to the Daily News Public Forum (June 3, June 27) concerning the Belmont Bungle.

Because of your letters, I have been able to get to sleep at a much more reasonable hour at night. You see, usually I stay up late and watch the Jay Leno monologue to get a good laugh before I go to bed. However, now all I have to do is to read your response letters in the morning paper. You are absolutely hilarious. The letter you wrote in the June 27 Daily News was a scream. I nearly broke a rib laughing so hard at the joke about how the LAUSD cares so much about building more schools for our children, when in fact we all know that they squandered away $170 million plus on this recent escapade.

I had to wipe away the tears on the joke where you are patting yourself and the other board members on the back for all of your great feats. You forgot to mention that Belmont was conjured up behind doors only after BB was approved by the voters who had no idea about the project. Oops.

Have you ever thought of having one of the LAUSD board meetings on the Jay Leno show? Now that I would stay up an extra hour for.

- Juli Gallaher

Northridge

Out of the loop

Isn't it strange that LAUSD trustee Victoria Castro finds it possible to recount all of the information that is described in her letter in the June 27 Public Forum and yet it was impossible for her to act responsibly during all of the warnings that occurred through the years regarding the potential Belmont problems.

Apparently she was so busy attending to all of the items listed in the letter that Belmont was too small an issue to look at. I can't imagine with all of the warnings that occurred that she was out of the loop; it is inconceivable that perhaps one or two items might have passed over her desk.

The attempt to placate us with the nine observations listed in her diatribe left me absolutely amazed that she had accomplished so much and yet missed the Belmont debacle.

Hopefully she will now attack these problems with vigor.

- G.R. Judge

Granada Hills

Really angry

I am an angry taxpayer, citizen and voter. I am angry that the majority of our children can not read and do simple math. I am angry that they are being socially promoted so that we can foot the bill for remedial classes when they enter college. I am angry that we were held hostage to extend a contract to a man who is not worth what he is making, let alone an extension. All of this not because he is qualified but because he has a Latin surname.

I am angry about the waste of our money in Belmont. Now Mr. Zacarias is circumventing Prop. 227 even though it has been proved that the quicker the English immersion, the better for the student. When my husband and his family came here they were put into English-only schools, and then on Saturdays they went to the ethnic school in their neighborhood, and as a result my husband spoke seven languages. Perhaps if enough of us stay angry we can hold the LAUSD accountable.

- J.J. Moore

Sylmar

Half a century later

Re Belmont Learning Center:

Wow. What a long sleep someone has had - and a stuffed nose. About 50 years ago, I could have said, ``Don't do it . . . It stinks here.''

We lived on Edgeware Road - off Beverly Boulevard in an apartment. Being newlyweds, we were busy; fixing up the apartment, buying furniture, both working. My husband drove the Beverly Boulevard bus from downtown to Fairfax at that time - 1947 - there wasn't much pollution but, still, after we settled ourselves, I began to get runny eyes, nose and sort of a sick feeling. No, I wasn't pregnant, flu was almost unheard of - maybe hay fever - Nope, none of the above.

A neighbor, with a 3-year-old, took very ill and was hospitalized. We took care of the little boy. He kept saying it hurts here, and pointed to his head.

We finally contacted her family and they moved away.

I started complaining and we started having differences of opinions - and because of the strange smells, also moved - and all of a sudden - no more sick complaints.

In all these years it never came to mind, the real cause - now I know.

- Helen Zuroff

Chatsworth

Trustees need classes

Had it not been for school board member David Tokofsky's astute parliamentary acumen, irrespective of a mediocre performance rating, the board may have extended Zacarias' contract sans public notification.

With some board members poised to vote, the debate becomes curiouser and curiouser.

Why are not all board members well-versed in voting protocol? Are they purposely ignoring them, hoping no one will notice? When are the legal eagles on retainer going to challenge an illegal vote? Thanks to Mr. T's presence on the board, another potential land mine was avoided.

Rather than allocating $30,000 for ``feel-good'' seminars, which three board members will never utilize, parliamentary procedures classes would have been a better investment.

Unfortunately, when Ruben Zacarias' contract does expire, we'll have to ante up another $100,000 for another sham national search for a favorite son, ultimately selected by the board.

- Roger B. Huntman

Woodland Hills

The buck stops here

It appears that the Belmont Learning Center fiasco will end up being abandoned and at a cost to the taxpayers of up to $200,000,000. When Board of Education President Victoria Castro, the learning center's prime supporter, along with its three other (recently dumped) board supporters of this boondoggle, was brought to account, she cried, ``I was misinformed! Nobody told me! How was I to know?''

I would like to remind Ms. Castro that she is the president of a board that is responsible for an over $5 billion annual budget. You waste $200 million here and $200 million there and pretty soon you're talking about real money!

I would like also to refer her, this former school principal, to a biography of former President Harry S. Truman. This is one that reflects the creed of a real leader: ``The Buck Stops Here.''

- Louis Robins

Van Nuys

Get a job, Tom

The Daily News is far too generous in excusing state Sen. Tom Hayden's latest unworkable bill, ``Mandatory good Samaritan'' (Editorial, June 23).

Over Hayden's long and unimpressive career, the state Legislature and even the initiative process (remember ``Big Green'') has been littered with his legislative ``efforts'' that offer knee-jerk, emotional reactions rather than clear-thinking solutions. Whether the result of an enormous ego, or just a refusal to grow up, Hayden consistently has been unwilling to listen to opposing views or take any intelligent input when promoting his own agenda.

Although he was a vocal supporter of limiting terms of office, Tom Hayden is now looking at trading seats with Assemblywoman Sheila Kuehl in the next election so he can hold on to his political life. It is time for Hayden to stop feeding at the public trough and for the first time in his life find a real job!

- Suzanne Holmes

Tarzana

Explain monopoly

Re ``Mayor belittles power-trip claims'' (Daily News, June 20):

When I went to the polls last election, I had such high hopes for Mayor Riordan. My fellow voters and I apparently wanted to give a businessman with a reputation for honesty and integrity the tools to run the city more efficiently. We put our faith in someone who we did not view as a career politician. Most of us view career politicians as people who deal with conflicts of interest inappropriately.

Monopoly profits are almost always higher than what the market would normally allow. It is true that monopoly profits are occasionally necessary to entice a utility to spend money on capital improvements that would otherwise not be profitable. A good example would be running lines in rural areas where the cost of adding a customer may outweigh the benefits to the utility. Clearly, this sort of incentive is not necessary in a city such as L.A. where city planners have packed us in like sardines.

So Mayor Riordan, I wish you would explain to me how giving out exclusive franchises (monopolies) to a handful of selected individuals is going to benefit me, the consumer. The Internet community all over the country is talking, waiting and watching with great interest, as what happens here will surely affect them.

- Donald Katona

Northridge

Delavari family fund

In response to many calls, letters and a letter to the editor (Public Forum, June 21), I would like to thank the many family, friends and concerned citizens who have inquired as to the welfare of the Delavari family.

Mehran Delavari, who passed away as a result of injuries sustained in this tragic accident, left behind a young wife, Ilanit, 31, and two children, Samantha, 2-1/2, and Riley, just 4 months old. The devotion and love we all enjoyed from this kind, gentle soul was unparalleled. His loss has truly left a gaping hole in our conscience. Understandably, our entire family is devastated.

To answer the question asked in the editorial, and by many callers, there has been a fund established for Samantha and Riley at Wells Fargo Bank, Account 6495 190225. Readers are also welcome to write to the family at Delavari Family, 18840 Ventura Blvd., Suite 216, Tarzana, CA 91356.

We also encourage you all, as motorists, to exercise caution and safety when around bicyclists so that tragedies such as the one that has befallen our family are not commonplace news items.

- Tamir Oheb

Brother of Ilanit Delavari

Tarzana

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Photo

Photo: The Belmont Learning Center

Evan Yee/Daily News