PUBLIC FORUM.

Clean campaigns

Re ```Clean money' hits council's nerve'' (July 6):

I was disappointed to see how optional full public financing apparently is misunderstood by some of the council members. Some of them chose to interpret ``clean money'' as implying the council now takes ``dirty money'' -- and thus took the idea personally, and were insulted by it.

From a citizen's perspective, private donations necessarily equate to some compromise or other, no matter how small. Campaigning for office is very expensive, (and) the general population cannot or will not donate nearly enough money to fund a campaign. This leaves a candidate only one option.

Clean money, clean elections offer another option -- and one which could free elected representatives either literally or figuratively -- which in turn could very likely result in better government.

-- Tobi Dragert

Los Angeles 

Paying for favors

Re ```Clean money' hits council's nerve'' (July 6):

Kerry Cavanaugh's article on public financing of campaigns notes that it will ``cost'' $9 million (i.e. a few dollars per voter). I submit it will cost nothing. Not when you consider how much it's already costing taxpayers under the current system to pay for all the favors which private donors get as return on their ``investment.''

When Councilman Dennis Zine suggested, ``We're going to say to voters, `We're going to tax some of you so someone can run for office,''' he should have added, ``And when they get elected, you'll know they're free to represent you and only you.''

And that's cause for voter celebration.

-- Craig Dunkerley

San Jose 

It's called bribery

Re ```Clean money' hits council's nerve'' (July 6):

Many years ago, when politicians took money, it was called what it is -- bribery. Or graft. Then the pols -- acting on their own behalf -- changed the wording to read ``campaign contribution.'' The public never called it that -- but the public doesn't make up the rules or the laws, etc.

So ``campaign contributions'' became the byword. Folks, it's still the same old bribery. You don't contribute heavily, you don't get things done. You don't contribute, you don't get the contracts. You don't think that's bribery?

-- Frank Barron

Van Nuys

Charging victims?

Re ``City might seek refunds from LAUSD'' (July 1):

So members of the City Council want to charge the schools for crossing guards because they help the school district. I thought the guards protected children and others who cross or use the street.

Councilman Greig Smith also seems to want the school district to pay for protection of Los Angeles' citizens (children, parents, staff and others) because they are at public schools. What's next? Charging victims when police come to their rescue? Councilman Smith's attitude is shameful.

-- Lloyd A. Dent

Studio City

Replacing T.R.

Re ``T.R. triumphs all smoke and mirrors'' (Their Opinions, July 6):

So archconservative Thomas Sowell has finally exposed Teddy Roosevelt as a fraud, after all these years of veneration by America. He cites his ``disastrous policies'' with regard to curbing big business and monopolies, as well as his unnecessary mitigation of child labor and factory conditions.

Well, apparently history has completely overrated T.R., so now it must be time to petition our representatives in Washington to have this undeserving embarrassment removed from Mount Rushmore as soon as possible. I shudder to think of who he would recarve in Teddy's place. George W. Bush, maybe?

-- Richard McCurdy

Burbank

A different country

As an African-American woman who lives in the Northeast Valley, I feel I've moved to a different country and there is no way out. (I'm low-income and can't afford to move.) I lived in the NoHo area for nine years and never experienced the drama I do now.

Laws are not the same here. The police officer is more concerned about me walking, waiting for a bus while being black. I'm still waiting for the memo on what I'm allowed to do while being black in this ghetto.

At this new park on Columbus, where no one speaks English, I feel like I'm invading their world. My child needs some type of summer program where she is welcome.

-- Michelle Payton

North Hills

Block party fireworks 

Re ``Fourth of July'' (July 6):

Sue Abrano is not entirely correct when she says fireworks are illegal in L.A. County. I live in West Hills and watched a wonderful neighborhood fireworks display one block away and it was all legal. What made it legal was that ``safe and sane'' fireworks were used after obtaining a permit from the city.

They actually blocked off the street and had a block party. Fire hoses were in place in case of an emergency. A similar event was later shown on the evening news.

-- Bob Wilson 

West Hills

Different priorities

Economists tell us that the Iraq war will cost the United States more than $1.27 trillion. To comprehend this vast amount of money, imagine spending $1 million a day for 1 million days. That is more that 2,700 years. Some 2,700 years ago, Rome was barely a twinkle in the Etruscans' eyes!

We rightly applaud Bill Gates and Warren Buffett for their record- breaking philanthropy aimed at education and health care issues. However, the $30 billion Gates Foundation, when combined with Buffett's donation, will reach $60 billion, a mere 5 percent of the cost of the Iraq war.

-- Albert Cohen 

Sherman Oaks

Apartment parking

Re ``Deadly parking'' (Your Opinions, June 28):

Gee, Bob of North Hills, I thought Burbank was the parking lot of Southern California. It sounds like the same thing is happening here, how people from apartments blocks away take our parking spaces, move our trash bins, get away with parking there on street-sweeping day, and after having to call over and over to complain, nothing is done.

The reason is that every city in Southern California tears out single- family houses and puts in apartments to get more revenue, and hang the traffic problems -- big surprise.

-- Joan Olear

Burbank

Mexico's new leader

Re ``Mexico tally favors rightist'' (July 7):

Well, it looks like Mexico has a new president, but he has already announced that he does not favor closing the borders -- another president that will not take responsibility for his people. He is in favor of no borders; I have a different view.

-- Joe Pinoy Lozano

Mission Hills

Too convenient

Re ``Lay death deprives many of justice'' (July 6):

We belong to the group who believe the death of Ken Lay was a little too convenient. It will be interesting to see what the toxicology report has to say.

He may have had heart disease, but it does not necessarily mean that was the cause of death.

-- William and Myrna Richardson

Van Nuys

Consistent ruling

There's no problem whatsoever because of the ruling about terrorists held on Guantanamo. Treat them as we do all foreign lawbreakers: Make them citizens and give them welfare while the rest of us learn Arabic.

-- Charles K. Sergis

Calabasas

The American way 

Re ``Man of Steel not just an American'' (U section, July 4):

Superman no longer stands for ``the American way?'' Then he can't have my American dollars at the box office.

-- R.J. Johnson

North Hollywood