PUBLIC FORUM PICKING POCKETS.

Re ``DWP to give $10 million for housing projects'' (Jan. 8):

This increase by the DWP is just another way the city is taxing the people of Los Angeles. I'm convinced that the mayor's staff has worked with the brass at the Department of Water and Power to find covert ways of sucking even more money out of the people of Los Angeles. Since James Hahn can't control the spending, he seeks to increase income. I find it funny when Deputy Mayor Doane Liu states that this is from the power side of the DWP, not from the increase-seeking water side.

Perhaps the DWP should be pulling money out of its other pocket instead of mine. What is the mission statement of the DWP? I really need to know, because department officials certainly seem to be making some interesting decisions on how to spend our money.

- Mark Armer

Chatsworth

Make them legal

After listening to President George W. Bush, I agreed with most of what he said about giving green cards to illegals. It would register them in a fashion, but I hope and pray that they would also pay taxes and pay for their own hospitalization, etc.

But it will take big business to regulate their legal rights and taxpaying and taking out hospitalization insurance. That is the secret, making them and the companies that hire them accountable for their actions.

- Neal M. Graney

North Hollywood

Precedent, Mr. President 

Let's see. President George W. Bush is promoting the importation of illegal immigrants. Sagging economy. Exodus of jobs. High unemployment. Soaring deficit. Disappearing middle class. Kowtowing to special interests.

Two words for him: Gray Davis.

- Michael McNamara 

Sylmar

Watch your p's

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger would be well advised to beware the five p's that are the bedrock of all Democratic politics. The five p's are people, pay, perks, pensions and programs. If the first four can be continually increased, the hope is that those people on the public payroll will vote Democratic and thus keep that party in power at the expense of those taxpayers in the private sector who do not benefit from such largess.

Increasing the fifth p - the programs - also helps to balloon the first of the others as more people are ``needed'' to manage the new programs. Any state tax funds sent to the cities or counties will surely be used to pump up those five p's. Just ask Mayor James Hahn. Ask union boss Julie Butcher.

- Max C. Yost

Northridge

Suitable plea bargain 

Re ``Man, 87, charged in 10 deaths'' (Jan. 6):

Without question, the accident that claimed 10 lives and injured dozens more was very, very tragic. However, I hope the prosecutors and George Weller's attorneys reach a suitable plea agreement that spares him from facing trial.

By all appearances, Weller has led an exemplary life and is absolutely devastated by the events of July 16. I realize that there are many grieving friends and relatives of the deceased and the injured, but it would be a shame to further punish Weller for 16 unfortunate seconds of his rather remarkable life.

- Mark Steele

Woodland Hills

Another Band-Aid

Re ``Sepulveda speedway'' (Jan. 4):

The reversible lane for the Sepulveda Pass looks like another Band-Aid or after-the-fact design, which will last only a few years and then will be obsolete because of too many motor vehicles. Why not bite the bullet and put in a two-tier freeway now because that's exactly what will have to happen 10 years from now.

Government officials have been pushing for alternate modes of transportation for years, and yet they want to remove a natural bikeway between Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley. That just doesn't make any sense.

- John Lukes

Canyon Country

Karma of economics

Re ``Customers win with Wal-Mart'' (Their Opinions, Jan. 1):

In today's economy, there is a need for a wage that will pay the bills and buy the groceries. While there is nothing wrong with shopping for a deal or the best price, when it falls on the backs of underpaid workers and underpaid suppliers and is driven by a greedy company, then it needs to be questioned.

The ``low'' prices that Wal-Mart provides exploits their suppliers and their employees while the ``consumers'' get the bargain. That is not free enterprise. People, you are fooling yourselves when you shop at merchandisers that operate like Wal-Mart. You will also end up with lower wages, expensive goods and unavailability of quality merchandise, and it will continue to be a vicious cycle.

- Jack Arnold

Sunland

Keep on truckin'

Re ``Problem is trucks'' (Your Opinions, Jan. 5):

The problem isn't trucks, but too many cars clogging our freeways, and the crybabies who don't want this or that in their back yard. Don't put the blame on the trucks. America has trucks for a reason: to haul your precious goods for all the spoiled people.

If people don't like trucks, I have a solution for you. Go through your house and throw away everything that was brought to you by a truck and boycott all the stores that get their deliveries by truck, and you won't have anything in your house - or even a house, because your house was built with materials brought in by a truck. FYI: Trucks are slow up hills for a reason. They are pulling up to 80,000 pounds. Remember: Without trucks, America stops.

- Kevin Lee

Reseda

Meaning slips away

Re ``This land is our land'' (Your Opinions, Jan. 6):

I am neither a foreigner nor a Christian, so according to the letter by Max Goar, I don't belong here. It used to be said that this country was founded upon Judeo-Christian principles and ethics, but conveniently it is now only Christian principle. Does Max Goar not remember why the first Americans came to this country? I thought it had to do with pursuing religious freedom, but I could be wrong.

I have read several letters and opinions this past month that seemed xenophobic and downright mean-spirited. I wondered where the Christian spirit of the holiday season was. The meaning of the holidays slips away a little more each year. What happened to good will toward men and peace on Earth? Think about that, Max.

- Susan Mueller

Granada Hills

Then stay home

Many foreigners who are about to come to this country are complaining about having to be photographed or fingerprinted. They feel that they are being treated like common criminals. These objecting foreigners do not realize that we are fighting evil, the same evil that caused the deaths of more than 3,000 innocent civilians in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.

We must find every means possible to protect ourselves from this evil. If these future visitors from other countries feel that they are being abused by our airline and seaport officials, then they should not come here. No one is forcing them to come to the United States.

- Sam Heinz

North Hollywood

No-fault insurance 

The voters have spoken out and removed an incompetent governor and outrageous car-registration fees. We are still fighting to keep our Proposition 13. It has now come time for us to put up our dukes and fight it out for no-fault insurance. The licensing of illegal aliens will eventually put a burden on those of us who obey the law and carry liability insurance - on car, home and, some of us, business, not to mention all of the proper business licenses.

We should not have to bear any monetary burden toward anyone who is not insured. No-fault insurance has been voted down in the past and its future looks bleak.

- Bob Mauch

North Hills