PUBLIC FORUM STEP ASIDE, ROY.

If Roy Romer wants to succeed in reforming the Los Angeles Unified School District, he should start by stopping the micromanaging of his top management. Give the person the responsibility to weed out the dead wood and roll with the results. That is the way business works.

Roy, you need to step aside and let someone with a backbone take out the double management figures and the aides to the aides, and the superintendents to the assistant superintendents. They need to go; don't defend them. Give them the kiss good-bye and wave as they leave. It is the only way. Make the legal department work on your side. Put your foot down now. Oh, and by the way, dump Belmont.

- Michael C. Hines

West Hills

Wrong reason

Re ``MTA Chandler busway hearings a shameful sham,'' (Opinion, June 28):

The Chandler right-of-way has always been in the transportation system's planning. Rabbi Dov Fischer was dead wrong if he had the idea no system of transportation would ever use this right of way. State Sen. Alan Robbins put across some legislation that forbade building any train system above ground, but the MTA bought the right-of-way and is determined to use it for something.

It was never anything ``historical.'' It was always in the cards. I, too, am opposed to a busway, but I am all for a light rail going through the right-of-way. I am all for overturning the Robbins legislation. The whole city needs that train. Let the community rebuild itself on either side of the tracks.

- Charles J. Thomas

North Hollywood

Chandler busway

The United Chambers of Commerce of the San Fernando Valley supports the MTA East-West transit corridor, full bus rapid transit alternative. It is the UCC's position that the MTA should use its best effort to mitigate the noise associated with the current natural-compressed-gas buses. Also, that MTA continuously monitor the impact on crossings, in addition to observing changing traffic conditions to implement separated crossings, based on available funding.

The UCC also wishes to address the concerns of the residential neighborhoods and the Jewish Orthodox community along Chandler Boulevard. The project along this portion of the BRT should adhere to current posted speed limits, thereby reducing its speed to within 10 percent of the Red Line. The UCC also recommends that no walls should be constructed; instead low fences should mitigate some noise. Maintenance of landscaped areas and additional pedestrian crossings are also top priority.

BRT has the lowest capital and operating costs of all the alternatives studied during the past 17 years. The funding to put BRT into operation is available now. It is imperative the BRT project is permitted to move ahead. If not, the available funding will almost certainly be lost to a higher-priced, less economical and noisier plan for light rail.

- J. Richard Leyner

Chairman, UCC Board

His responsibility, too

Regarding the husband who is standing by his wife who drowned their five kids:

He (Russell Yates) says his heart ``sank'' when he arrived home to find his five deceased children and his wife being arrested. I'm sorry, but it's too bad his libido hadn't ``sank'' years ago.

Why do people keep having kids when they can't handle the ones they have? Post partum depression is a very serious condition and you don't deal with it by having more kids.

- Kathy Lombardo

Oak Park

Not Mayberry

Let me see if I understand this: Work 12 hours a day arresting criminals, baby-sit out-of-control gang members whose parents produce them but won't care for them, then spend the next 12 hours of my time still helping these people solve their problems? But of course.

If you would like to live in Los Angeles among the gang members, drug addicts, parolees or whatever other dregs this city attracts and welcomes, have at it. This is Los Angeles 2001, not Mayberry 1960.

- Ron Traynor

Canyon Country

Sunland and Tujunga

Response to Denise Grimes ``Start at the top''(Public Forum June 29): I ask you, Denise, where do you get the idea that our community, Sunland-Tujunga, is anything like East L.A.? Our community is cleaner, safer than most in L.A. or in your fair community of Valencia.

If I would wager a guess, you never lived in a community such as ours, where people care and work to make it better, stronger, safer and cleaner. You have your sheriff; we have our beloved men and women in blue. Come to our Fourth of July parade and fireworks display, and I am sure you might change your mind and your views.

- John Bunte

Sunland

Slavery reparations 

I have never owned slaves. Yet Sophia Sherman (Public Forum, July 2) suggests that I should be taxed to pay ``reparations'' to descendants of slaves. Reparations punish whites for the crime of being the same race as those who practiced slavery. Racism is judging people by their ethnic group rather than as individuals. Charging me for slavery makes as much sense as charging a German baby for the crimes of Hitler.

Our nation has spent $5 trillion on various welfare and ``poverty-ending'' programs. It would be good to put an end to them. Let us pay reparations. But before anyone can accept a lump-sum payment, they should be required to sign a binding quit-claim, stating that they and their descendants unto perpetuity will never accept another penny of public funds - in any form.

- James F. Glass

Chatsworth

Different flags

All those expensive purple and yellow flags on the mostly foreign-made cars, honoring a group of millionaires. I did not see one Old Glory flying either on Memorial Day or Flag Day on any of these vehicles.

Do you think the flag of the United States of America will be seen on July 4? It will on my front porch. God bless all of our veterans.

- Thomas M. Snyder

Northridge

Conservation

I found Scott Holleran`s July 1 Viewpoint column blasting conservation to be both sad and amusing. Sad because Scott seems to be on the bandwagon of right-wing thought that humans have the God-given destiny to destroy this planet for the sake of profit, and amusing because as the billpayer in my house, I can't imagine not running even our household without conservation, never mind an entire country.

California has been the leader in conservation and the leader in concern for our environment. This forward thinking has seen our air, water and quality of life improve dramatically over others', especially states like Texas. The energy crisis is manmade, and when the rock is lifted off the perpetrators, the heads will roll, from Texas to the White House.

- Chuck Heinold

West Hills

Constituent service?

Is there any such thing as constituent service? I don't think so. The only service as far as I can see is ``political service.'' Pundits and activists will rake you over the coals for not voting, but given the choices available, whom are you to vote for? It always seems that it's the lesser of two evils, neither of which is going to do what he/she said during their campaign. Voter apathy?

I cast my vote in every election, more so for the initiatives and propositions on the ballot that I know I can actually have an effect on, rather than the unpredictable politicians that I know because of my income I have absolutely no way of influencing.

- Michael T. Adams

Sun Valley