PUBLIC FORUM.

Elephants?

Re "Latest elephant plan not peanuts"(March 11):

The mayor is considering a new $39 million home at the Los Angeles Zoo for three elephants. After reading that Los Angeles is leading in human homelessness, you would think he could spend the money on these people, or on the schools, streets, police, public transportation or anything else that would help the city - not $13 million for each elephant.

- Carl Fowler

Burbank

The bigger story

In Saturday's Daily News, one article dealt with the $40 million to be spent on Los Angeles' elephants. A second was about Los Angeles' homeless situation, said to be the worst in the United States. What was shocking was that the elephant story received more space.

Have you as a paper and we as people lost our humanity? I love animals as much as anyone does, but right here in L.A. we have real people - families - living on city streets in boxes, freezing in the cold, wet, starving and dying every day. Elephants become a bigger story than people. Is this because we believe we can't make a difference? Maybe it's because we just no longer care about each other. I hope and pray that's not the case.

- Alan Levy 

Studio City

Sanctuary

The Los Angeles Zoo controversy is not so much about Billy, Ruby and Gita, the one males and two female elephants. It's about who has to pay for the $30 million to $60 million to enlarge the exhibit. This would include $13.9 million in Municipal Improvement Corporation of Los Angeles funds. MICLA debt is paid for out of the General Fund. With interest, this would be $22.4 million. Don't forget the $13 million of county funding. Currently, we spend $341,670 on the normal elephant expenses plus $96,000 annually on treatments for Gita's chronic condition.

The exhibit, no matter what size is decided upon, is an Asian forest. There are no African elephants in the Asian forest. This means Ruby will have to be disposed of. Sanctuary. Anything less would be fiscally irresponsible.

- David Hernandez

Valley Village

Not inherited

Re "Rewarding mediocrity" (Editorials, March 10):

We should reject Mayor Villaraigosa's self-serving claim that he "inherited" a "structural deficit of $300 million." Villaraigosa was sworn in as a City Council member in 2003 and then as mayor in 2005. This is not a problem he "inherited," but a problem he himself helped create in the first place.

- Walter Moore

Los Angeles

The public trough

Before he can become the mayor of the Los Angeles Unified School District, L.A. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa should be required to clean up the fiefdom he already has: the political and governmental cesspool known as the city of Los Angeles.

He could get a good start by reducing the L. A. City Council to five members. That would not only save millions for taxpayers; it would also be a boon for lobbyists by easing their mother hens roles in feeding the gaping mouths of so many at the public trough.

- Ralph Smathers

Newhall

What will he do?

Before we get too worked up about disbanding the Los Angeles Unified School District and putting the mayor in charge of our schools, let's ask the mayor one question: Once you're in charge, exactly what are you going to do differently? If he can't say, then we should pass on the reform. And if he actually does have good ideas, then the LAUSD can implement them right now, without merging into the city government.

In my opinion, the problem with our schools isn't whose name appears at the top of the flow chart. Changing that name won't teach children to read.

- Walter Moore

Los Angeles

Clash of cultures

Re "L.A. woman ignites Muslim debate" (March 11):

I am awed by Dr. Wafa Sultan's courage in speaking out against the behavior of radical Muslims throughout the world (and risking her own life in the process).

I take exception to only one of her comments that is quoted. I believe the clash we are witnessing is exactly a clash of opposing cultures, one of which views the glory of humankind in the past and the other, in the future ("...a mentality that belongs to the Middle Ages and another that belongs to the 21st century"). Like tectonic plates grinding against each other, I fear that these deeply rooted, strongly held, opposing beliefs will someday erupt in an earthquake (if it hasn't already begun).

- Alan Pollack

Woodland Hills

Terrible legacy

Re "L.A. woman ignites Muslim debate" (March 11):

Dr. Wafa Sultan has spoken what many of us have thought: that the Islamic religion has been distorted into a religion of darkness by its religious and political leaders. Muslim countries have not contributed to the development of society for the last 500 years or more. This is a terrible legacy and waste of human resources.

When we see and hear about Muslims, we think of guns shot into the air, indiscriminate kidnappings, beheadings, rioting and destruction. This is the modern perception of the Muslim religion. Thank you, Dr. Sultan, for speaking out, and now maybe other Muslins will speak out and a change for the good can happen.

- Joseph Nicassio

Valencia

Bonus response

Re "Rewarding mediocrity" (Editorials, March 12):

The Daily News is promoting a myth that these bonuses are undeserved and a gift of public funds. What the paper calls a "bonus" is really earned compensation given to some city employees in response to the special circumstances of their jobs. Personnel policies have created broad job classifications that do not reflect some of the special skills needed in specific assignments. The use of new technologies in certain jobs may require specialized training. Negotiated pay differentials recognize and retain highly skilled workers in these assignments.

Pay adjustments are an important tool in attracting and retaining talented employees. Every pay differential in a union contract is a product of intense negotiations, with each case examined carefully by both sides. They are a valuable, cost-effective tool in maintaining a skilled and productive workforce.

- Cheryl Parisi

Executive Director

AFSCME District Council 36

Like most liberals

Re: "Spinning O'Reilly" (Your Opinions, March 12):

Like most liberals, Denis F. Cremins likes referencing the Bible when it's convenient and then asking the standard question: Is Bush doing "what Jesus would do"? First, let's get a few things straight. President George W. Bush, like all men, is not perfect. Only Jesus was perfect.

Secondly, I suggest that Cremins and everyone else take the time to read and understand the Bible and really find out "what Jesus would do." I believe that all would be surprised by what they find. In regard to Bush, Jesus and the death penalty, man's punishment in the Garden of Eden was death (Genesis 3:19).

- Steve Duhm

Woodland Hills

Right under attack

Re "Self-satisfied Hollywood blind to truth" (Viewpoint, March 12):

I would like to thank Julia Gorin for opening my eyes. I had no idea that conservatives were under such attack. For far to long the "persecution of conservative students on college campuses" has gone on, and we have turned a blind eye. When not vilifying the pharmaceutical companies, Hollywood makes films "exploring themes about gays, McCarthyism, race and Hitler." I think we can all agree that these are all subjects that would be better left alone and forgotten about.

Maybe with Julia Gorin as their champion the "conservatives who aren't worried that they risk their careers when they come out of hiding" can finally make films that show the conservative values of exclusion, elitism and greed.

- Scott Odermann

Valley Village