PUBLIC FORUM BAD BILL.

Re ``MTA: Ditching busway would be a disaster'' (Aug. 10):

Fearful that the court will not rule in their favor, politicians in L.A. led by Assemblyman Lloyd Levine have introduced an emergency bill to override the court's decision. AB 1798 effectively allows the MTA to implement projects without ever studying less costly alternatives.

In his short-sided hurry to be a hero to his peers, Levine introduced legislation enabling a publicly funded agency to go unchecked by the taxpaying public. This is not only irresponsible, it is reprehensible. In America, the people are empowered to question expensive projects that negatively impact our environment and threaten our safety. CEQA was designed to protect the public from exactly this type of travesty.

- Elle Saling

Van Nuys

Valley history

The halting of a bus line here in the Valley is just symptomatic of a problem we've had for a long time ... lack of foresight and imagination. Was it just 14 years ago there were proponents of a monorail system? But that would be just too simple, with a track route ready to use on Chandler.

Sure, let's burrow underground in earthquake country and have polluting buses go through the Valley. What an era of dullness and short-sightedness they'll call this chapter of Valley history.

- Phil Soinski

North Hollywood

Another one gone

Re ``Valley hospital to close its doors'' (Aug. 20):

Well, surprise, surprise. Another valley hospital closes its doors and leaves 830 people unemployed. Why? Illegal immigration strikes again. Here is a perfect example of how illegal immigration hurts us all. For 75 years, this hospital served the community, but now due to a ``burgeoning uninsured population and low reimbursements,'' it's gone.

The illegal immigrants will now overflow other hospitals, and it will continue to spread until there are no hospitals left. How many legal residents have to suffer before somebody finally stops this? The tired argument that they only want ``a better life'' is no more acceptable than a bank robber who claims he only wants ``a better life.''

- Kurt Hunter

Valencia

How many more?

Re ``Valley hospital to close its doors'' (Aug. 20):

I read that Northridge Hospital is closing it's Sherman Way campus because of a ``burgeoning uninsured population,'' meaning illegal immigrants. In the same paper back on Page 6 is a 3-inch column about how the City Council voted 12-1 to support state legislation for illegal immigrants to receive driver's licenses.

Thanks to Councilman Greig Smith for his one dissenting vote. How many more facilities will close and hurt the people who pay for health care? This City Council is a joke. How will you vote when their time is up?

- Richard Detanna

Granada Hills

Keeping score

Re ``No more excuses'' (Editorial, Aug. 18):

The Daily News has it backward: LAUSD quit being in the ``business'' of education decades ago, and that is the problem. If it were run like a business in the private sector things would improve ... last decade. Superintendent Roy Romer also has it right, 20 years of failure and guess whose watch that was on? None other than the Queen of Political Correctness and free spender of taxpayers' money, our old pal Jackie Goldberg.

The three rules of running LAUSD are keep the funding coming in; keep the students and overachieving teachers/administrators down; never, ever, mess with the status quo, aka, the unions. What the heck, it's only someone else's child and money.

- Richard M. Meyers

Granada Hills

Lifeguards

Re ``Drowning woman pulled from lake, resuscitated'' (Aug. 18):

I very much enjoyed your story of heroic lifeguards at Castaic Lake. It is unfortunate that Los Angeles County has cut their funding so significantly. I remember a few years back when the lake was full of lifeguards. These days there just aren't the lifeguards there used to be. The lifeguards are to be commended for maintaining their professionalism despite lack of support from Supervisor Michael Antonovich.

- Trent Hilton

Canyon Country

Penalty policy

Re ``Elderly inmates' health problems add to the price of incarceration'' (Viewpoint, Aug. 22):

In lieu of turning the aged prisoners into ``Soylent Green,'' it might behoove the legislators, both here in California and at the federal level as well, to rethink their policy of incarcerating nonviolent drug offenders.

Otherwise, I and my descendants won't be able to afford the high price of ``safety and security.''

- Gary Erkfritz

Newbury Park

Lower-priced housing

Re ``Smart housing will result in less traffic'' (Their Opinions, Aug. 20):

The column raises an interesting issue about the purported ``income-restricted'' and ``below market'' housing at Playa Vista. I have been to Playa Vista several times with public employees who certainly cannot afford current housing prices on the Westside. But there was never a word from anyone at Playa Vista about ``below market'' housing available to them. No signs, no brochures, no information at all about any discounts.

Apparently, this ``income restricted'' housing is being passed out only to insiders, perhaps the politically connected or relatives of Playa Vista employees and owners; those who are put in the know by insiders. It would be interesting to find out just who is getting this lower-priced housing.

- Howard Strong

Reseda

From Baghdad

I wanted to say thank you to the many people who wrote e-mails of support. Your letters and the time you took to write them is really appreciated by those of us serving over here in Iraq. I want to especially thank Wilma Bennett for the Kids Packages. Another big thank you goes to the Darcey family of Burbank for all of the cookies baked for the troops stationed here in ``Beautiful Downtown Baghdad.'' OK, we are closer to the airport than downtown, but who is counting.

I leave here in a couple of weeks, but I hope to return so we can finish the job of helping the Iraqi people transition to a democracy. This job is worth it. I am very glad I came.

- Maj. Curtis A. Wood

U.S. Army

Baghdad, Iraq

Sowell's credentials

Re ``Who he is'' (Your Opinions, Aug. 22):

The Hoover Institute is a conservative think tank, not Republican. Republicans do not even resemble being conservative anymore, which is part of the problem. As to Thomas Sowell's credentials - calling him a hack because he offers his opinion is ludicrous.

Regarding the last part of his commentary about the great programs we can thank liberals for, they are simply unconstitutional, socialist programs that prior parties, in prior times, have implemented. Those parties were known as Nazis, Fascists and Communists. I will keep my company with Sowell, thank you.

- John K. Taylor

Woodland Hills

Religious grounds

Re ``The majority'' (Your Opinions, Aug. 19):

Vatch Arouchian argues that we should keep gays from marrying because ``the majority does not support gay marriages because it conflicts with their religion where marriage was first conceived.''

While this may be a valid reason for churches to refuse to perform same- sex marriages, the First Amendment requires that government not act on religious grounds. The majority's religious beliefs have no bearing on whether governmental restrictions are warranted or even constitutional.

- David Holland

Northridge