PUBLIC FORUM.

Who the deciders are

Re ``Legislation by ballot'' (Our Opinions, Jan. 3):

You state that ``it's unfortunate the LAX living-wage ordinance,'' placed on the ballot by the business community, ``will go to the public for a vote.'' The fortunes of this event depend on whether or not one works for minimum wage. This ill-advised referendum will backfire on the business community when the affirmation of the ordinance wins by landslide.

The lowest common denominator of wage earners are also the majority of the voting-age public in Los Angeles. The last election defeat of the gas tax -- but raising property taxes for various bond measures -- clearly demonstrates which economic segment of the public decides these money issues. With some clever campaigning by the elected leaders of Los Angeles, voter turnout of 55 percent for an off-year March election is achievable.

-- Thomas Tassinari

Encino

Red tagging

Re ```Attic' almost eludes anti-mansion rules'' (Jan. 3):

Violation of Sunland-Tujunga's anti-mansionization law allowing a second-story bedroom to be called an attic; Mining operation in Sun Valley allowed to operate for over a year in violation -- permit to grade for new homes 14 feet, mined to 50 feet below grade. The Department of Building and Safety has the authority to ``red tag'' or stop work at once. Obviously the city employees are not doing the job we are paying them for. I haven't heard of any inspectors or supervisors being disciplined or fired.

The Bradley Landfill is to close April 14, 2007, at a maximum height of 1,010 above MSL. Let's see that this height permit is enforced. Just a few feet over the limit will affect the view from thousands of homes forever.

-- Butch Johnson 

Sun Valley

Not kidding me

Re ```Attic' almost eludes anti-mansion rules'' (Jan. 3):

Who does Robert Hall think he is kidding when he tries to tell us he (and other such developers) is doing something positive for our neighborhoods by tearing out our ``junky'' -- to him -- homes to build monster houses, which stand out like a sore thumb among our older, established homes. The only thing ``positive'' he is doing is fattening his wallet by destroying affordable homes in order to build cookie-cutter monstrosities that loom arrogantly over their smaller neighbors, destroying their privacy and blocking the sunlight.

Hall only cares about getting in, building as much house as he can to generate the most profit, then getting out and off to his next victim. He is kidding no one but himself with such statements.

-- Carol Hutchinson

Sunland

Was it a joke?

Re ``Lewinsky deserves respect'' (Their Opinions, Jan. 3):

Good grief, I almost could not make it through Richard Cohen's ``Ode to Monica.'' According to Cohen, she is one of the greatest, misunderstood (victim) figures in history. What was he trying to say? Was it a joke? If so, it failed miserably.

If his Miss Lewinsky was so damn smart, and dignified, who was that person that played around with the president and then saved her dress to prove it? She seems to be doing fine these days, so why bring it up? Geez, I cannot remember reading a more biased or sexist article in years. Is this Cohen's new format for 2007? I sure hope not.

-- Eileen O'Neill

West Hills

No positive reaction

Re ``3,000 -- U.S. deaths in Iraq pass milestone'' (Jan 1):

Upon reading this front-page article on the first day of 2007, people might feel depressed, angry, resentful, bitter, outraged, sad, tearful, and filled with hate for the president, the generals in charge, our country, and the Iraqi people. In fact, I can't think of one positive reaction that could possibly be evoked from this sensational choice of a headline to greet the New Year. So what exactly were your reasons for printing it?

-- Sharon Howard

Encino

Ugly milestone

Re ``3,000 -- U.S. deaths in Iraq pass milestone'' (Jan 1):

A most depressing, unhappy New Year's Day. It is well past the time to give the George W. Bush administration a one-way ticket to Iraq without bodyguards and one-way tickets home for our courageous troops.

-- Bob A. Greene

West Hollywood 

Only himself to blame

Re ``All the statistics'' (Jan. 1):

The writer said the deaths of our soldiers in Iraq are far fewer than the deaths that occur in our country due to gang and drug killings. So how does that excuse sending our soldiers to die in a wrong war? A small portion of our money spent in Iraq could have been used to solve the violence and many problems in our own country.

President Bush is to be blamed for the hatred toward him. We have been misled to believe Saddam and bin Laden had ties and hiding WMD; by the way, it was our government that helped Saddam achieve his power.

The people have spoken in November at the polls, yet he continues to ignore the will of the people, sending more troops to die for his oil and putting us into further debt.

-- Nina Trotta-Sutton

Simi Valley 

Let's talk Clinton

Re ``Above the law'' (Your Opinions, Jan. 2):

In his letter, the writer failed to included William Clinton on his list of above-the-law-criminal-former presidents. Clinton was never prosecuted for perjury, obstruction of justice and tampering with a witness in the Paula Jones case.

-- Larry Wolfe

Tujunga

Take this as a lesson

Recent editorials in your paper have been whining and complaining about how the City Council put one over on the poor voters with Proposition R. Our family voted ``no'' on the proposition for one simple reason: we read the words in the proposition and saw it for what it was.

While we regret that so many other people did not read the words and were taken in by the smooth words of the League of Women Voters, et al., we can only feel that you all brought it on yourselves. It said right in the voters pamphlet that the terms would be extended to 12 years. What part of ``Give Away to the Council'' did you all not understand? Take this as a lesson and read the fine print in the propositions in the future.

-- Richard J. Warren

Van Nuys

Working for us

I hope this time the Democrats don't shoot themselves in the foot for the presidential election like they did in the California governor's election. Poll after poll, survey after survey showed that Westley was the man to beat Arnold, but, no, the Democratic Party had to get behind a sure loser like Angelides.

Hillary and Obama are great Democrats, but neither of them is the right candidate to win for 2008. Hillary has too much baggage, Obama is still new and needs more experience. With John Edwards announcing, especially in ignored New Orleans, this is the man for the future of this country. He's for us, working Americans. Let's not make any more mistakes and put more losers up as candidates. The Democrats are winning now; let's keep the ball rolling!

-- Claudia Reame

Valley Glen

Doesn't add up

Re ``Tear down this wall'' (Our Opinions, Jan. 2):

Your numbers just don't add up. Are we really being asked to believe that it will cost $70.6 million a mile ($13,361 per foot) to build a wall? This is all a weak attempt to either stop this because of cost -- or to profit at the government trough.

-- Jeff Clarke

Simi Valley

Who's at the trough?

Re ``Border fencing cost up'' (Dec. 30):

OK, so who are our politicians cutting in on the deal now?

-- Millie Derose

San Fernando