PUBLIC FORUM.

Teachers are paying

I totally agree with your Valentine's Day headline, "Teachers deal has high price." LAUSD teachers have indeed paid a high price for this "deal": a cumulative pay raise of 4 percent over the past four years and now 6 percent for one year, which averages out to 2 percent per year for the past five years (no, there's no COLA).

And for this we're called selfish and money-grubbing? We shouldn't have to apologize because we want good health benefits and a salary that at least keeps up with inflation -- which it hasn't in the 15 years I've taught for LAUSD.

-- David Fritz

Reseda

Throwing money

Re "L.A. leaders ignore actual gang reform" (Local View, Feb. 15):

Mayor Antonio needs to take a lesson from the firsthand experiences of Paul White in dealing with thugs and gangs. Throwing money at every problem in Los Angeles is not the answer.

-- Jim Crowley 

Saugus

Reducing gang crime

Re "Anti-gang unit arrests 64 suspects" (Feb. 15):

Lt. John McMahon, head of the LAPD's new anti-gang task force, said "our goal is to reduce violent crime 5 percent in the San Fernando Valley."

My response: Deport the illegal alien gang members and crime will go down at least 25 percent to 30 percent.

-- Philip Crispi

Glendale

Assisted suicide 

Re "Nunez to assist new suicide bill" (Feb.14):

Please understand that it is not only the faith community that is vehemently opposed to physician-assisted suicide. Groups representing Americans with disabilities are even more concerned because they know that they are in the direct line of fire should this heinous practice become a reality in California.

Going back some years, I remember what a representative of the developmentally disabled community said: "We may be retarded but we are not stupid." That puts these precious souls way ahead of people like Lloyd Levine, Patty Berg and Fabian Nunez!

-- Rabbi Louis J. Feldman

Van Nuys

A good man

Re "What's in it for us?" (Your Opinions, Feb. 13):

I'm sure I'm not the only one who should shake her head in amazement at Ruth Thompson's bitter words about marriage.

Every unmarried woman I know wants to find a good man to marry. And why shouldn't she? Is there anything more wonderful than spending a lifetime making a home with and for an appreciative and loving companion?

-- Pauli Carnes

Woodland Hills

All-night barking

On May 5, 2001, I wrote my first complaint to the Department of Animal Services about my neighbor's dog who was allowed to bark outside at all hours. On April 24, 2004, the department finally issued a letter to my neighbors, revoking their dog license and prohibiting them from owning another dog for one year.

My family could not enjoy peace and quiet in our own home for almost three years while the "wheels of justice" plowed through mediation, meetings, hearings and appeals. It is way past time for Los Angeles to initiate swifter action and enforce stricter penalties for excessively barking dogs.

-- Sunny Arford

Arleta

Size matters

Re "Dollar coin" (Your Opinions, Feb. 13):

I don't see why they (coin makers) don't get it. The whole reason the Susan B. Anthony coin didn't make it was because of its size. It was so close to the size of a quarter that when people stuck their hands into their pockets to feel for a quarter, up popped Susan and they consequently lost a lot of money because both the buyer and the seller were fooled by the size of the coin.

It's by the feel and size of the coin, not what it looks like, that we handle money. It doesn't matter whose face is on the coin. If they made it the size of the old half dollar, it would sell.

-- Wayne Wolaver

Northridge