PUBLIC FORUM MORE TRUTHFUL.

Re ``VICA: Q breaks the law,'' (Feb. 21):

The Valley Industry and Commerce Association says that Measure Q breaks the state ``truth-in-bonding'' law by failing to spell out specifically how the money would be spent, by failing to require that bond revenue be used only for specific projects and by failing to mandate an annual financial report.

It may violate the law, but given the city's track record, it may be more truthful than most.

- Pat Kennedy 

Reseda

Prop Q compliance

Did the Valley Industry and Commerce Association do voters a service when it rushed to publicize its unsubstantiated charges against Measure Q, the public safety bond issue on the March 5 ballot?

The VICA spokesmen admitted it failed to check with an attorney before raising legal issues and going public with allegations that the measure's language is ``not specific enough'' and therefore violates state law. This theory was based only on ``staff analysis.''

Measure Q was subjected to careful review by the Los Angeles city attorney and found to be in full compliance with state law, even exceeding it in some areas. The city requires monthly reports, for example, where the state permits annual reports.

Also surprising was the disclosure that VICA itself has not yet taken a formal position on Measure Q, and is scheduled to do so next week. So, what's up, VICA? Do you agree with us that public safety comes first? Next time, do us all a favor and check the facts first.

- Alex Padilla 

City Council president

- Dennis P. Zine 

Councilman

- William Bamattre

City fire chief

Tip of the iceberg 

Ex-mayor Richard Riordan appointed Bernard Parks as chief in an effort to curb abuses by the Los Angeles Police Department. The latter at that time was not happy with this appointment, because they knew Parks to be a disciplinarian, and that he would try to keep these cops in line.

Parks was chosen not because of his race, but because he was the best man for the job, which at that time included keeping the LAPD within the budget and focused on duty. His opposition by the LAPD has more to do with the latter than with race. The three-day work week is just the tip of the iceberg. As for Parks' influence on officer morale, I am reminded of the dictum understood by really concerned parents of school children; the teacher they ``hate'' is probably the best one they have.

- H.C. Rockey

Camarillo

Japanese internment

Re ``World War II internment lesson,'' (Feb. 20):

There is always something left out when the subject is the Japanese being interned during World War II. I was living in L.A., going to school when it happened. I remember how it was. There was a lot of hatred and anger because of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The best thing that was done for those people was getting them out of here.

With all the military personnel here on liberty and leave, it would have been dangerous and risky for them. Little Tokyo might have been burned to the ground. The battle cry during the war was ``Remember Pearl Harbor,'' not ``Remember Europe.''

- Scott G. Buchanan

Van Nuys

Good call

Having the Ventura County Board of Supervisors vote on the Ahmanson Ranch project is like having only Russian judges vote on figure skating.

- R.A. Blake

Woodland Hills

Gouging 

Re ``Plan would cut cost of calls from prison,'' (Feb. 17):

The exorbitant phone rates imposed on families receiving calls from prisoners brought in $85 million for two companies enjoying a cozy exclusivity in controlling the phones, of which the state got $35 million in commissions last year.

Doubtless the cities and counties extorted more than that from families in their facilities. Increasingly, it is tough to identify who the crooks are.

- Ray Tapar

Encino

Transportation plans

Re ``Road wreck,'' (Editorial, Feb. 17):

Gov. Gray Davis has clearly addressed this issue. In the three years since he took office, the state's transportation program has grown by 50 percent, today reaching a record $7 billion in transportation improvements under way.

During this recession period, we will be investing on average about $4.5 billion per year in transportation projects, which will have a ripple effect throughout the state economy. The historic $5.3 billion Traffic Congestion Relief Program is the single largest transportation appropriation in California history. It complements two other transportation plans: the state Transportation Improvement Program and the state Highway Operation and Protection Program.

The governor has also proposed that $4 billion go toward protecting California's highways through the SHOPP, a four-year plan that ranges from repairing and replacing pavement and bridges to replacing storm drains and installing guardrails. The governor specifically called for more than $2.4 billion to repair 20,000 miles of pavement and replace or rehabilitate more than 250 bridges.

- Maria Contreras-Sweet

State transportation secretary

Sharon's problem

How can Arafat remain ``the Address,'' as Ariel Sharon said, if Arafat is ``irrelevant?'' Sharon denies outside pressure, but it appears to me that the U.S. and the Labor Party have got Sharon totally turned around.

Instead, Sharon should sweep Arafat and the Palestinian Authority from power and let the Palestinians start and finish a civil war. If the radicals take power, so be it. They will either make peace (just as Israel's Likud made peace) or they will make war and then Israel can respond in kind to an obvious enemy.

- Mark Alan

Los Angeles

What you sow

James Glass says that I am a liberal for thinking that Israel is wrong for building 60 settlements on land taken after the 1967 war (Public Forum, Feb. 20). Glass says that might makes winners and those are the facts.

Well, here are the real facts. After World War II, the allies rebuilt a defeated and humbled Japan and Germany. Both these countries today are our strongest allies. Thankfully the Ariel Sharons and James Glasses of the world were not in charge then or we would have the undying hatred of generations of Germans and Japanese. Fact: You reap what you sow.

- Chuck Heinold

West Hills

Poor baby

Re ``Perky Couric feeling grumpy,'' (News Lite, Feb. 21):

I'm thoroughly disgusted with Katie Couric's remark, ``I'm tired - the hours are brutal. It's hard to make yourself go to bed at 7:30 to get up'' ... in time for the show.

Apparently her meager salary of $65 million doesn't offset the horrid hours she has to sustain hosting her morning show, ``Today.'' How many people barely eke out a decent living and then open their newspapers and have read such conceited drivel as this? Couric should be ashamed of herself for making this statement, or even thinking it. Couric, I used to think of you as ``perky'' and ``cute'' and many other pleasant adjectives. Now I don't think about you at all.

- Jeff Lawrence

Palmdale

Cheating

Students in a biology class in Kansas cheat on a test and their teacher flunks them. The school board overrides the teacher and sends the message it's all right to cheat. The French and Russian judges at the Olympics join to cheat the Canadian ice skating pair out of a gold medal - and the IOC says there is no foundation for the accusation, after the person who oversees the judges said there were improprieties. The message is it's all right to cheat even at the Olympics.

In Houston, the executives of Enron lied to and cheated their employees and stockholders. When asked to testify before Congress, they hide behind the Fifth Amendment. The message? It's all right to cheat as long as you can get away with it. Cheating's a new way of life in these United States.

- L.A. Calabro

Northridge