PUBLIC FORUM.

Not much better

Re ``Antonio backs school measure'' (Oct. 13):

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa doesn't seem to be much better than what we had before. Plenty of photo ops and catch phrases like ``political capital,'' but what's he really done? He hasn't stood up for the taxpayers at all, yet. His questionnaire to the neighborhood councils is a farce.

The city keeps giving more money to the public work force, so we can't afford more police. Villaraigosa's solutions are more taxes, less services, or no additional police. The neighborhood councils' only involvement is as a scapegoat for blame; dammed if you do, dammed if you don't. Now he wants more money for school bonds. Kids deserve better, but giving more and more money to the LAUSD hasn't been the answer.

- Mark Armer

Chatsworth

Bus crossings

Re ``New Orange Line ad'' (Oct. 13):

Let's face it, the majority of our drivers have other things on their minds besides remembering all of the hazards mentioned in the ad - and there are many of them. Don't cross the ``tracks,'' they say; ``hazards come from every angle and include pedestrians, bikes, other cars and 60- foot buses'' and other tidbits that most drivers will never remember.

There is only one sure way to eliminate most of those accidents waiting to happen: Metro has to treat each crossing like a ``railroad track'' and put a crossing gate at every intersection it uses. Then if some jerk wants to beat the bus and drive around those gates, he is entirely at fault. The cost of those gates will be considerably less in the long run than the court cases that will come from Metro's not ``doing enough'' to protect our drivers from themselves.

- Gordon Green 

Encino

Church and the law

Re ``D.A.: Church not telling all'' (Oct. 13):

It is supposed to be the law that suspected child-molestation cases are reported to police. The last I heard, Catholic Church officials are not the police. We need a district attorney with the guts to go in and seize all the records, and arrest anyone who covers up abuse of children.

There is separation of church and state; confession should not be allowed as a way to keep these criminal priests protected. Nor should it be allowed to be used to protect those who cover it up. The church will have to learn the hard way; by getting sued repeatedly, its monetary losses will be its own fault.

- Mike Kirwan

Venice

First James Bond

Re ``The new 007'' (Oct. 14):

In your ``James Bond Quiz'' I'm afraid you left out the first James Bond: Barry Nelson. He had the role in the 1953 ``Climax'' TV version of ``Casino Royale.'' The villain, le Chiffre, was portrayed by Peter Lorre. Nelson played Bond as an American. The show was actually a pilot for a James Bond television series that never came off. At one time it was available on VHS and is a very interesting curiosity.

- Garry James

Northridge

Not what, but where

Re ``Get ready for demonization of Miers'' (Viewpoint, Oct. 9):

Bill O'Reilly, who seems to love generalizations, thinks that liberals don't want people of faith (particularly evangelical Christians) on the Supreme Court.

O'Reilly completely misses the point with this inaccurate generality. Liberals don't care about someone's religious orientation. They merely want to see the separation of church and state respected and maintained and take a dim view of any person who is likely to bring that faith to the bench. Worship as you will, but leave your faith and personal beliefs out of the courtroom.

- Richard McCurdy

Burbank

Weighing our rights

Re Harriet Miers' nomination to serve for life on the highest court:

She must provide enough information to the Senate, and the public, to critically scrutinize her background data and personal records. From the little information currently known, Miers' qualifications to sit on the bench are nonexistent.

President Bush says she's the most qualified person in the country for the job. (Surely reassuring to the other 1,084,504 lawyers in the country.) But she's never been a judge, or weighed in on significant constitutional issues. The administration's habit of secrecy and deceit continues. Cronyism on the Supreme Court is a serious threat to our democracy. We, the people, demand to know what qualifies Miers to rule on our constitutional rights.

- Mary Quintero

Studio City

Mier'd in cronyism

It is a slap in the face to all the highly qualified experienced judges in the country for Bush to say Harriet Miers is the most qualified person in the country to be a Supreme Court justice. She hasn't even passed judgment on a speeding ticket, and now she is being nominated to rule on laws that will affect every person in the United States for years to come.

That is like saying Bush's private bodyguard is the most-qualified person to be the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security because of his many years of service protecting the president. This is definitely a time for the Senate to ignore party lines and do what is best for the country.

- Tim LaCrosse 

Simi Valley

Synchronize lights

Re ```Walk' signs help Jews observe High Holy Days'' (Oct. 12):

So the local government can set up signals to work especially for a religious group. I just wonder why the same government can't seem to synchronize the traffic lights so that everyone, including Jews, can get where they're going like ``Mayor Photo Op'' promised? Just think how many more cameras he could get to in a day.

- Malcolm Gee

Encino

Day-labor center

Re ``The good fight'' (Your Opinions, Oct. 9):

Dink O'Neal brings up some disturbing points in his letter pointing out that Burbank allowed Home Depot to move in along with a day-labor center. His argument centered on broad generalizations and condescending tones appealing to the lowest common denominators in our society.

When I think of a day-labor work center, I think of a place workers can be matched up with employers for a temporary time, certainly not an ``illegal alien day-care center.'' Are undocumented immigrants going to be there? Sure, but I'm also sure that others who are here legally will as well. The center will be run by a charity that will ensure that everyone there gets a fair shake and will intercede to resolve disputes.

- Alfred Aboulsaad

Burbank

Bad road blues

Re ``Don't patch; redo'' (Your Opinions, Oct. 2):

Hallie Kemper makes a good point, but be careful of what you wish for. I have been in the construction industry, heavy equipment operator, for 36 years and have lots of experience in building roads. I called the 311 system on Sept. 28 to complain about the resurfacing job done by DWP workers on Roscoe Boulevard between Allott Street and the flood control channel.

The job took five times longer than a private contractor would have, with abysmal results in the smoothness of the surface. I was almost hit by a pickup truck that nearly went out of control when it stuck one of the bumps left behind by workers who have no idea of how to pave a street. The new paving is in far worse shape than the original pavement with its cracks and occasional pothole.

- Richard M. Stuber

Sun Valley