PUBLIC FORUM UNNECESSARY LAW.

Re ``Bill to cut school kids' load'' (April 23):

AB 2532, introduced by Assemblyman Dario Frommer, Assemblyman Rod Pacheco and state Sen. Jackie Speier, is an unnecessary law. With more than 1,000 new laws passed in California this year alone, I would think that our lawmakers would take the time to analyze more sensible solutions other than to ``just pass another law.''

One way to limit the weight that our children carry each day would be to put the lockers back into the schools. Why carry books not needed back and forth? The second would be for the board of education to coordinate the homework more carefully and the third would be for children to complete some of their homework while in school.

New laws are indeed necessary in our society. But it can also be considered irresponsible when there are other solutions.

- Edwina L. Hughes

Glendale

Safer with a locomotive

Would the train crash in Placentia this week have resulted in fewer injuries and less loss of life if the Metrolink commuter train had been headed by a locomotive rather than a passenger car? A locomotive weighs more, does not carry passengers, and might have offered a greater buffer in the accident, and saved the two lives that were lost.

A locomotive pushing a passenger train (as Metrolink and Amtrak do) increases the potential for jumping the track, since the passenger cars weigh less. It seems that Amtrak and Metrolink want to go the ``cheaper'' route and not bother with a turntable to turn the locomotive around so that a locomotive is pulling the passenger train (which also gives a more comfortable ride) on the return ride. Passenger cars do not have the weight to stay on the track the way a locomotive does, and should not be the lead car.

- Robert P. Johnson

Panorama City

Closer to home

Re ``President's budget will strain California'' (April 21):

This program will mean the loss of $217 million to California agencies to house more then 14,000 undocumented felons. Rep. Howard Berman, D-Mission Hills, says, ``He (Bush) has turned his back on California,'' and ``he has also ignored the federal governments responsibility for border enforcement.'' This is absolutely hilarious when you consider it is coming from Berman.

In the late 1980s, an amnesty program was created to give undocumented aliens legal status, but due to public resistance to the program, the trade-off was a deal to place more guards on the Mexican border. Amnesty was granted but not a single guard was ever hired because Berman and other Democrats voted down the appropriation in committee. Berman is right about one thing, the public is being shafted; but it is by Howard Berman and the Democratic Party.

- Michael Gilchrist

Lancaster

Self-determination

With so much attention currently focused on the Middle East and the possibility of a major energy crisis, we have lost sight of our ability to determine our own futures. Instead of fighting costly battles to ensure our continued supply of oil, we should be actively decreasing our dependence on fossil fuels.

California has a wealth of natural resources from which we can draw clean, renewable energy. By boosting our use of renewable energy sources such as wind, solar and geothermal power to 20 percent by 2010, we will not only decrease our reliance on costly imported fossil fuels, we will create thousands of jobs, raise billions in tax revenue and protect ourselves from price spikes inherent to fossil fuel use.

- Susanna Pratt

Los Angeles 

Political opportunists

Re: ``Proposed Valley city jobs draw interest'' (April 21):

What a bunch of political opportunists those Valley Voters Organized Toward Empowerment folks are. What is this, if you can't win an L.A. election, support secession and run for office? Get real! Next Jeff Brain will run ... oh wait, he lives in Glendale.

- George Mendoza

Los Angeles

Done burned down

In the April 22 Public Forum, Michael Hannin made mention of ``a handful of homosexual priests the Church refused to discriminate against.'' It would take a pretty large hand to hold the number of worldwide offenders, and they aren't homosexuals.

They are pedophiles the church has hidden from criminal prosecution involving hundreds of children. With the Supreme Court decision on kiddie porn, and the recent book ``Harmful to Minors,'' which encourages legalizing sex between children and adults, I don't think there's any question of yelling ``Fire'' in a crowded theater. I think that theater's done burned down.

- Bonnie Blankenship

Glendale

It's the cathedral

Cardinal Roger Mahony's sins of the church have nothing to do with the pope. His sin deals with permitting the city planners and Richard Riordan, who aspired to be governor, to approve the location and structural project of Our Lady of Angels knowing that the cathedral was not built on solid ground but on tunnels that were used to house the red cars.

Also, another oversight is that Los Angeles is prone to earthquakes and an earthquake will topple the cathedral on two freeways, causing the closure of two freeways, causing gridlock in Los Angeles traffic.

- Joseph Yore

Palmdale

Fueling inflation

I wonder how many people noticed on their last gas bill from The Gas Co. the more than 60 percent increase in the Los Angeles City Users Tax. The tax went from 6 percent to 10 percent. Tell me again there is no inflation. Gasoline is up, medical is up, housing is up, food prices are up ... what is the government basing its statements on when it says there is little or no inflation?

- Marjorie Eisenberg

West Hills

I'm for it

Re Eileen O'Neill's Public Forum letter of April 23:

If a few motorcycle policemen hiding at various spots in the Valley can control the speedsters that make so many of our Valley streets seem like race tracks, then I'm for it. They wouldn't have to be there if our licensed drivers would just pay attention to the ``speed limits.'' I believe we have had enough hit-and-run deaths in the Valley to last us a lifetime.

- D. Acevedo

Northridge

For future votes

Re Dennis D. Hawthorne's letter ``Whining chiefs'' (Public Forum, April 18):

Former Mayor Dick Riordan chose, at that time, Assistant Chief Bernard C. Parks over equally qualified Assistant Chief Mark Kroeker as chief of police. ... Why? I do not recall former Chief Ed Davis requesting millions or hiring an attorney when he was not confirmed for another term.

My opinion is too many politicians choose for their personal future votes rather than for the good of the people. Portland, Ore.'s gain was our loss.

- Betty G. Franz

Tarzana

It's obvious

Why the fuss over a new name when the Valley separates from the city? A brief tour of the Valley clearly shows the results of long-term neglect. ``Cobblestone City'' is obviously the best choice.

- Ray Goldstein

Chatsworth