PUBLIC FORUM THROWING AWAY A CHANCE.

Re ``Alarcon won't run for Valley city mayor'' (July 12):

I have no problem with a political hack like Richard Alarcon deciding not to run for mayor of the Valley; he's just the kind of spoiler we're trying to rid ourselves of. His reasoning, however, is another story. His refusal to write a $128 million check to the city of Los Angeles shows just what kind of economic morons we're dealing with.

The alimony payment is not a new bill. It represents money we currently throw away to downtown chiselers every year. With secession we are guaranteed a reduced bill to zero over 20 years. With the status quo, we are guaranteed massive increases for eternity. When will we find a statesman who prefers to govern, rather than tax?

- Michael Guetzow

Woodland Hills

Asking for more money

I read LAUSD is asking for $3.35 billion - $50 million more than originally planned. This will be on the Nov. 5 ballot. This school board, board president and Superintendent Roy Romer have no concept whatsoever about how to handle money. They don't deserve our vote. Remember bonds are paid by property owners, and now all they need is 55 percent of the vote for passage. My vote is a firm no, and I hope you property owners do the same.

Getting back to our Roy Romer, he was governor of Colorado and also head of the Democratic National Committee. Neither of these jobs is background for running a school system. Was an inexperienced person worth offering $250,000 per year plus the extras? They all should be taking cuts in salaries before they come to us for more money.

- Johnny Rotella

Van Nuys

Burbank gets respect

On vacation recently in another city, my wife, Kathy, and I stopped at a busy intersection. We saw many familiar American names on nearby businesses. And a lot of unsightly graffiti. Morning newspapers reported 53 police officers injured in a riot of illegal immigrants awaiting deportation. Related complaints concerned ultra-high home and property costs; politicians debated immigration caps, raising taxes and rising crime.

We thought how great it is to live in Burbank. We find amazing the constant complaints to our mayor, City Council and school board, usually about some inconsequential thing - in a city so admired as an exceptional municipality. That intersection where we looked around and realized again how grand it is to live in Burbank? It was in Melbourne, Australia.

- Phillip Barton

Burbank

A great memorial

Thank you for the terrific article by Mariko Thompson, ``Nurses, others fulfill doctor's dream'' (July 9). It is heartwarming to know that so many organizations, including Rotary, are coming together for such an important cause.

Although Dr. Yeneneh Betru's death was sad and tragic it is important that we never forget him and all of the people who died on Sept. 11. The beautiful crape myrtle tree now planted in his memory at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center is a great memorial to Dr. Betru and his work with dialysis patients.

- Marilyn Grunwald

President

Rotary Club of Universal City-Sunrise

Van Nuys

Rascals in office

Re ``Dow hits 9-month low'' (Business, July 11):

Dick Cheney is on video shilling for Arthur Andersen, King George II (the selected, not elected) investigated for insider trading, Enron invited to Cheney's secret meetings to write U.S. energy policy.

And everyone in the country is suffering from the economy whether they personally own stocks or not. This gang of energy insiders is doing an excellent job of looting the nation. Had enough? Get the rascals out of office.

- Bob Deluca

Calabasas

You won't hear it

In President George W. Bush's July 10 speech, I did not hear one mention of the people that were cheated out of their stocks and money getting their money back from the thieves who stole from them.

Here is what President Bush should have stated: ``I will do everything in my power to see that those cheated will get their money back from the CEOs who stole from them.''

But don't hold your breath. We won't hear such a statement, because the Bushes and Dick Cheney are in bed with the same type of CEOs they were, not so long ago.

- Neal M. Graney

North Hollywood

Just as bad

Congress is hurrying to pass laws so that corporations and their officers are more truthful in their accounting methods; and yet, while this scandal may hit $10 billion of falsely reported capital funds, Congress itself has falsely reported that its debt is only $3.5 trillion.

It seems to forget that if you add Social Security and Medicare, the debt soars to $35 trillion. Will Congress pass laws to stop ``pork barreling'' and other abuses such as its own special pension and medical plans?

- J. Nicassio

Valencia

Two in one

I did not think that it was possible to insult J. Edgar Hoover or Jerry Falwell. However, NAACP President Kweisi Mfume has managed to do just that, and in one sentence!

Although, when he said that John Ashcroft was a cross between Hoover and Falwell, he was only partly right. Ashcroft possesses the worst qualities of each of these pious hatemongers

- Zachary A. Charles

Burbank

What about the cop?

I am sick and disgusted with people like Rep. Maxine Waters. Why does every police case such as the one in Inglewood have to be a racial issue? I saw several other black police officers near the suspect.

And did anyone notice the blood on the police officer's head? No one is worried about the cop who was injured. Let them do their jobs and stop coddling the crooks of this city.

- Victor Abdessian

Lancaster

Be polite

Parents and guardians, please tell your kids to say ``Yes, sir'' or ``Yes, ma'am'' to police officers who are doing business with them. Tell your children that if they do whatever the police say and if they do not punch police, or spit upon them or curse at them, they will never be punched or roughed up by a police officer, period. Tell them to try it sometime; they'll be amazed how nice the police are to them.

- Dean Brassfield

North Hollywood

Patriot game

Re Mylani Reyes' July 11 Public Forum letter:

I, too, became grossly unhappy, however, not for the same reason.

How dare Reyes presume that because people do not fly the American flag they are unpatriotic and should move to another country. Yes, I had an American flag flying in front of my home on July 4, and it is still there today. It was placed on all the lawns in our neighborhood by a real estate agent; otherwise, I probably would not have put out a flag.

Waving a flag does not a patriot make. I am a 73-years young American citizen. I am extremely patriotic and thank God every day that I and my loved ones live in a country where it is not a crime to be grossly unhappy or to be condemned for choosing to fly or not fly the American flag.

- Janet G. Ash

Granada Hills

Louder than flags

Re Mylani Reyes' July 11 Public Forum letter:

Patriotism is not a piece of cloth on a stick. Buy your cheap flags; stick them everywhere. Litter the streets of your beloved country with vacant, star-spangled pride. That is your choice. But it is truly laughable when someone belittles those who are content enough to confine our love of America to our hearts and minds.

You're not a better citizen, nor a more thankful person. You just have something to prove. If you truly understood the freedom behind our flag, then you would respect people's decision on whether they display it. Actions speak louder than flags.

- Rachel Wolfson

Moorpark

The only way

The planners of the Ahmanson Ranch community had better have a heliport in their plans to allow people like the Moroneys to get into the community. Otherwise, there would be no way to get there because there would be no other way through the parking lot that would be created by the additional cars - all 45,000 of them.

- Jeanne Brown

Winnetka