PUBLIC FORUM.

All talk

Re ``Luminaries light Olympic torch'' (Jan. 20):

Mayor Villaraigosa always does a great job of promoting the city. That's especially true when it comes to obtaining the 2016 Olympics or a new football team. However, when the issues are serious, his leadership fails. Civil rights attorney Connie Rice produces a 9-inch-thick report on gangs in this city and recommends a Marshall Plan to end gang violence. What is our mayor's response? Six new probation officers.

It's not just the gang issue. There is no leadership to address policing, public transportation, highway congestion, reasonably priced housing, homelessness, etc. If ever there was a mayor who is all talk and no performance, he is Antonio Villaraigosa.

-- Don Evans

Canoga Park

Where the OT flows

Re ``OT eyed to fill up cop cars'' (Jan. 19):

As a former police officer, I was told in the academy that barbers receive approximately 2,500 hours of training, while cops in L.A. get about 800 hours of training. Now that saves money -- huh?

No wonder rookies come out of the Police Academy and get into so much trouble when the you-know-what hits the fan. The public is getting the raw deal on the multimillion-dollar judgments as a result. Go to Los Angeles International Airport if you want to see where the Los Angeles Police Department gets its OT.

-- Mike Mathis 

Canyon Country

Early indications

As an early-childhood educator, I see the spawning of gang members daily. Potential gang members are evident before kindergarten. These children need extra attention, physical and mental challenges and a strong belief in self-worth. By early elementary school, these children, if not helped, will already be labeled as problem children. ``Problems,'' in our city today, have a high rate of gang membership.

The answer: early intervention. Quality preschool for children of working parents, active before- and after-school programs with strong homework support, summer and school-holiday camps promoting physical and mental stimulation, and school and youth sports programs for those through age 18 are needed.

Our children are in the classroom less than 25 percent of their year-round active hours. The other 75 percent should be filled with positive influences.

-- Ellen Harrison

Canoga Park

Signing statements

Re ``Not a democracy'' (Your Opinions, Jan. 19):

Professor Gregg Frazer apparently misses the whole point, which had to do with the president's use of ``signing statements'' to try to change the meaning of legislation passed by the legislative branch -- in effect, nullifying the legislation.

At a hearing on Jan. 18, Sen. Arlen Specter, the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, complained about the use of signing statements. ``If the president is asserting that the act of Congress is unconstitutional, then he ought to say so and not sign the act,'' Specter said.

-- Frank R Beyer

Woodland Hills

It's a coup

Re ``Villaraigosa endorses Galatzan for W. Valley school board seat'' (Jan. 12):

How much political capital does the mayor think he has? He tried to take over the Los Angeles Unified School District board by using his clout in Sacramento. Failing that, he wants to stack the school board with his own handpicked members.

Tamar Galatzan might be an excellent candidate, but standing next to the mayor, she looks like his lackey.

-- Donna Connolly

Sherman Oaks

Political mailings

Re ``Feces delivery free speech?'' (Briefly, Jan. 19):

Darn, I've been reading the Daily News since 1969, and the best article I've seen in years was buried on Page 7 in Friday's edition. I'm referring to the story of Kathleen Ensz, who sent dog feces to her congresswoman's office after becoming angry about receiving too many mailings.

I don't know about anybody else, but I feel the same as this lady. A lot of the mailings I receive from politicians or words that they speak are just a pile of (fill in the blank).

-- Gary E. Taylor

Sylmar