PUBLIC FORUM : BOARD TRIES TO UNDERMINE CAMPAIGN REFORM.

The opposition to Proposition 212, the Anti-Corruption Initiative, has finally begun its campaign to defeat the tough campaign finance reform measure on November's ballot.

Your article, ``Campaign controls endorsed'' (Daily News, July 24), reports that the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors recently voted to put a political ``reform'' measure on the November ballot. But the article fails to tell the real story.

With the incredibly deep corruption that pervades California politics today, the last thing we need is political reform of the politicians, by the politicians and for the politicians. The measure by the Board of Supervisors is clearly just that - nothing more than an attempt to undermine the tough reform of Prop. 212 and gain credit for being on the side of reform at the same time. How cynical can the politicians get?

Prop. 212 is the heavy machinery we need to clear through the special interest jungle that strangles California democracy today. Prop. 212 requires candidates to raise most of their money in small contributions from within the district they're running to represent, rather than to continue being bought and sold by big-money special interests from Washington, D.C., and New York City. This measure by the supervisors, and the similarly weak Proposition 208, do none of that, and they are nothing more than spades suitable for a little minor Sunday afternoon gardening.

There's no time left for watered-down proposals. People who are fed up with big-money politics are working for Proposition 212.

- Jon Golinger

Field Organizer

Yes on Proposition 212

Disability benefits

The opinion piece by Jim and Ed Gogek, ``Law denying addicts aid is penny-wise, pound-foolish'' (Opinions, July 24), regarding disability benefits for drug addicts and alcoholics, contains some inaccuracies that I wish to correct.

In fact, a law signed by President Clinton on March 29 bars Social Security and Supplemental Security Income or SSI benefits to persons whose disability results from drug addiction or alcoholism. The law, however, affords recipients appeal rights, and the Social Security Administration is required to make a determination before Jan. 1, 1997, on all appeals filed in a timely way.

If a decision cannot be reached by Jan. 1, benefits will not be terminated. Each appeal will be reviewed by a disability analyst from the state's Disability Determination Service, not by those called ``Social Security bureaucrats'' in the opinion piece. Disability analysts are trained to make these determinations, and a medical officer or doctor always has the final say in each case.

The authors suggest that people who may be ``dually diagnosed'' will have their benefits automatically terminated. This is not the case. If a person has an impairment like schizophrenia, for example, that would render him disabled even if he stopped using drugs or alcohol, benefits would continue.

The Social Security Administration is doing all it can to help the people affected by this law file their appeals. Many offices have extended their hours to Saturday to accommodate people wishing to file.

We are also working with community groups and advocates for drug addicts and alcoholics to ensure timely filing by all those affected. Anyone wishing more information can call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213.

- Mariana Talleda Gitomer

Public Affairs Specialist

Social Security Administration

`Ailing foreigners'

I was sickened when I read ``Ailing foreigners a pain for the county,'' Daily News, July 19.

I am a naturalized American and proud of my citizenship, which I acquired after five years in this country.

My former husband, our family and I had to go through many tests, however, before we qualified for the privilege of becoming immigrants in the United States.

We were fingerprinted, photographed and required to sign many forms, including one stating we would not be a liability to the United States, financially or otherwise. We needed sponsors. My daughter and son-in-law, already in the country, sponsored us.

Then there was the medical examination carried out by a physician chosen by the American consulate. This was very thorough and included X-rays of our lungs as a tuberculosis precaution.

Still we waited. After 18 months of close scrutiny of our background and the signing of endless forms, we received permission to be on our way. On the flight here we had to carry our X-rays, which were quite large and not too easy to handle. When we landed, they were again examined.

How things have changed! Now apparently anybody can walk into this great country and receive free medical attention, food stamps, welfare and other goodies which I'm sure exist.

When will it be realized that America cannot help out and take care of the whole world? Many of the illegal immigrants in the country today just take all their freebies for granted. This is wrong. Where will it stop and when?

- M. Jean Levicki

Panorama City

View of Van Nuys

Regarding the proposal for the Van Nuys Civic Center by Councilman Marvin Braude and the letter from Hal Netkin to Public Forum on July 13:

I commend Netkin. I could have not said it better - calling Van Nuys a Third World swap meet. I too am totally disgusted with the look on Van Nuys Boulevard.

No wonder people are exiting the Valley.

- Anna Marie Rea

Van Nuys

Land for peace

There is a very popular T-shirt in Israel whose message evidently rang a bell with the majority of Israeli voters in their recent election. On it is depicted an American Indian speaking to an Israeli saying, ``Let me tell you about giving up land for peace.''

I hope that Benjamin Netanyahu gave Bill Clinton one of these T-shirts during their recent meeting.

- Paul Wasserman

Northridge

Commissioner praised

It is unfortunate the article regarding the Animal Regulation Commission (July 16) was not headlined ``Dedicated commissioner discloses her vision for city's animals.''

During Gini Barrett's presidency, the department instituted a long-overdue mandatory spay/neuter policy for adult adopted animals, began a mobile pet-adoption program and focused on such things as reopening the city's low-cost spay/neuter clinics and a positive identification/licensing program for both dogs and cats, including microchipping. She personally attended budget meetings, rushed to emergency situations and rescued lost or strayed animals from the streets.

I was present at the meeting. I did not observe any ``misunderstanding.''

- Phyllis M. Daugherty

Los Angeles 

Security suggestion

In the wake of the TWA tragedy, it occurs to me that the installation of closed-circuit video cameras in the passenger, cockpit and baggage areas would be a major help in the prevention and investigation of airline disasters. A picture is worth a thousand words - right? This would provide invaluable data for clue-gathering authorities and an extra deterrent for would-be terrorists.

With the vast amount of advanced technology available in the United States, there is no excuse for operating commercial aircraft without the latest accident-prevention equipment. Like air bags and toddler-protecting seats in cars, in-flight security cameras are necessary elements of modern transportation.

- Stephen Sampietro

Tarzana

Reforming welfare

I would like to make a few comments regarding David T. Ellwood's article in the Wednesday opinion section entitled ``Cuts without reform.''

Ellwood takes the GOP to task for not offering true welfare reform. He says: ``The Republican bills in the House and Senate are far more about budget cutting than work. Bathed in the rhetoric of reform, they are more dangerous than most people realize. No bill that is likely to push more than a million additional children into poverty - many in working families - is real reform.''

I have not read the Republicans' welfare bills, but if what Ellwood says is correct I'll have to applaud the Grand Old Party. To talk about welfare reform is to speak nonsense.

Welfare is not a constitutional concept. It is a collectivist concept. The overriding philosophical presupposition of the Constitution is that individuals own themselves. They are not state chattel. Welfare turns this around.

I agree with Ellwood that it's wrong for the GOP to use the term ``reform.'' The Republicans should have the courage to state boldly that it is wrong for one citizen to live off the labor of another.

- Steve Lockhart

Canyon Country

Allow children `to be children'

For two Sundays in a row (July 7 and July 14), your major story focused on the purported need for computers and other gee-whiz gadgetry in Los Angeles schools - in every classroom, in every grade. Can we not allow children the time to be children for a few precious years before thrusting them into the brave new world of technology?

Youngsters need time to play with their friends, develop social skills, participate in organized sports or just hang around being kids. Better an 8-year-old should be out playing marbles, tag or hide-and-seek than be a lonely little figure hunched in front of a computer screen, courting backaches, eye strain, carpal tunnel syndrome and other ills to which his seniors are prone. His school hours should be devoted to the basics: learning how to write a decent sentence, add a column of figures, spell words correctly without reliance on a computer's spell-check option and, above all, to read.

If our fourth-graders can't read any better than those in last-place Louisiana, how are they supposed to grasp the intricacies of the instruction manuals that accompany all that high-tech equipment? Back to the drawing board, guys.

- Dorothy A. Elliott

Sylmar