PUBLIC FORUM.Can't coexist Re ``6,000 troops along border'' (May 16): Before President Bush moves forward in putting troops on the border, as well as building a 320-mile security fence between Mexico and the United States Relations between the United States and Mexico are among the most important and complex that each nation maintains. They are shaped by a mixture of mutual interests, shared problems, and growing interdependence. , I suggest the following: Send a battalion of troops to the New York harbor New York Harbor, a geographic term, refers collectively to the rivers, bays, and tidal estuaries near the mouth of the Hudson River in the vicinity of New York City. This is sometimes construed in the sense "the Ports of New York and New Jersey". and, brick by brick, begin dismantling the Statue of Liberty Statue of Liberty great symbolic structure in New York harbor. [Am. Hist.: Jameson, 284] See : America Statue of Liberty perhaps the most famous monument to independence. [Am. Hist.: Jameson, 284] See : Freedom . Symbolically and philosophically, at least in the U.S. of A. that I love, the Statue of Liberty and troops on the border cannot coexist. -- Stephen Wagner Valencia Lifting all of us Re ``Heaven help us'' (May 18): Heaven help me understand why the indicators suggest the economy is booming. Why then are poverty, hunger, homelessness and repossession The taking back of an item that has been sold on credit and delivered to the purchaser because the payments have not been made on it. For example, if an individual fails to render prompt payments on a new car, the car might be subject to repossession by the finance company, of homes on the rise? Why is the stock market tumbling, gas prices rising, home sales dropping and interest rates climbing? Why are the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer? Why are the rich getting tax cuts when the national debt is getting bigger? The president tells us that wealth trickles down (trickle is the key word). I would like to see a gusher that starts at the bottom and pushes up. One that lifts everyone, not just Bush's friends who are already on top. -- Philip Wilt Van Nuys Prudent spending Re ``Local money wasting away'' (May 14): Only in a city as enamored en·am·or tr.v. en·am·ored, en·am·or·ing, en·am·ors To inspire with love; captivate: was enamored of the beautiful dancer; were enamored with the charming island. of its bloated bureaucracy as L.A. could elected officials be criticized for spending money prudently. The primary purpose of neighborhood councils Neighborhood councils are governmental or non-governmental bodies composed of local people who handle neighborhood problems. They can be found in many cities throughout the world. is ``to promote more citizen participation in local government and make government more responsive to local needs.'' Achieving that function often requires no more than the cost of a public meeting space, a few fliers and postage for an advisory letter to the city. The remainder of the small allotment to each neighborhood council is spent on overhead and outreach. If neighborhood councils are wisely allowing their funds to accrue in an effort to make individual expenditures go farther, they should be applauded for their restraint. -- Jason Lyon Jason "Jay" Lyon (born May 24th, 1986 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada) Jason is a member of the Canadian National archery team who has competed in the 2004 World Junior Archery Championships, 2005 World Senior Archery Championships, the 2007 World Senior Archery Championships, Representative at large Silver Lake Neighborhood Council In June, 1999, the voters of Los Angeles approved a new City Charter which created the Department of Neighborhood Empowerment (DONE). Its purpose is to promote more citizen participation in government and to make government more responsive to local needs through a citywide network of Not a good answer Re ``Smith responds'' (Your Opinions, May 18): If I am reading Councilman Smith correctly, he proposes to fund neighborhood councils with more taxpayer money than they can spend, let each council keep the excess and receive full funding the following cycle. Apparently Councilman Smith intends to attack the fiscal integrity of our neighborhood councils and turn them into something more akin to the DWP DWP Department of Work and Pensions (UK) DWP Drinking Water Program DWP Dynamic Weapon Pricing (gamin, Counter-Strike: Source) DWP Department of Water & Power DWP Drinking Water Protection , Parks and Recreation and all the other taxpayer-funded agencies that pilfer pil·fer v. pil·fered, pil·fer·ing, pil·fers v.tr. To steal (a small amount or item). See Synonyms at steal. v.intr. To steal or filch. every cent and cry for more. -- Patrick Weir Chatsworth Commission responds Re ``No consequences'' (Editorial, May 11): Most government workers, including those of the county of Los Angeles, are protected from arbitrary employment actions as a safeguard against cronyism Cronyism Tammany Hall Manhattan Democratic political circle notorious for spoils system approach. [Am. Hist.: Jameson, 492] or political favoritism. Contrary to the impression left by your reporting, when a county employee is fired, he or she is removed from the workplace immediately. County workers then have the right to appeal disciplinary actions to the County Civil Service Commission. The commission's responsibility is to make certain that the department imposing discipline has followed civil-service rules, proved the allegations against the employee and has justified the level of discipline before a hearing officer. We don't have authority to increase discipline. Hundreds of cases are filed with the commission every year. Anyone who has attended our meetings on Wednesday mornings knows how much time each commissioner devotes to reading and understanding the material and the serious and thorough review we give each case. Our meetings and hearings are open to the public. -- Z. Greg Kahwajian President, Los Angeles County Civil Service Commission |
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