PUBLIC FORUM.

Treated harshly

Re "First Paris, now Baca" (Our Opinions, June 10):

Paris Hilton is not being "treated just like anybody else." Legal experts on various networks have concluded that she is being treated much more harshly than other nonviolent female offenders because of the publicity in the case. Lee Baca has an impossible job. His jail is full of illegals, whom he is required to house without adequate funds. Judges hand down excessive sentences, given the resources available. He has no choice but to shorten sentences.

Paris Hilton has a "serious medical condition," which the original facility could not handle. Despite a lot of speculation, we don't know what that problem is, and it is really none of our business. She is now housed in a hospital wing of the jail, costing taxpayers significantly more than home confinement. Lee Baca is doing an excellent job.

-- William West 

Reseda

Doesn't get it

Re "More Hilton fallout for Baca" (June 12):

Sheriff Baca doesn't get it: He doesn't get to make the rules when the judge has ruled otherwise. If a straight sentencing order has no special guidelines, then he has discretion to make other arrangements. But when the judge specifically says no electronic monitoring, no this and no that, Baca has no discretion. He's in contempt of court if he does other than what the judge ordered.

But, then, he's never played by the rules, anyway. (I guess that's why he's so sympathetic to Paris Hilton, who's never learned to live within the rules or suffer the consequences.)

-- Sheila M. Cooley

Van Nuys

Custody of name?

Re "Antonio moves out in a split with wife" (June 9):

So, now that Mayor Antonio has split with his loyal wife of 20 years, is he going to go back to his original surname, Antonio Villar, he of the American Civil Liberties Union, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and four failed bar exams?

-- Mike Marfiak

Woodland Hills

Nothing's private

Re "Antonio moves out in a split with wife" (June 9):

Well, I now know why the mayor has not replied to my e-mails. He has been busy -- burning the midnight oil. He says it's a private matter. Sorry, mayor, nothing you do is private.

-- Joe Pinoy Lozano

Mission Hills

LAUSD payroll debacle

The Los Angeles Unified School District's payroll system is sinking with the district's new admiral. There was another month of complete chaos within the payroll-service department. Certified employees were again underpaid or overpaid -- for the fifth consecutive month. An efficient and accurate payroll system isn't rocket science. Who is really at the helm? The entire school system should be put into dry dock. What happened to accountability, instead of always shifting the blame?

-- Linda Faherty

Simi Valley

Use their own laws

I have to throw my 2 cents into the ring about immigration. How about this for a fair immigration bill: "The United States will enforce immigration based upon the laws of the country of origin of the immigrant."

In other words, we will use Mexico's immigration laws for immigrants from Mexico, Russian immigration laws for immigrants from Russia -- and so on, for every other country. With some minimum requirements for a country with no laws, what could be fairer than this idea?

-- Alan Litt

Granada Hills