PUBLIC FORUM.

Waiting to retire

Re "Economies of waste" (Sept. 12):

After 30 years with LAUSD, I just can't wait for retirement to come. I have not received a correct pay since July. The district has notified me that I owe them $15,000, yet they can find a way to prepare a check for six cents. Which CEO authorized that?

So will Superintendent David Brewer send some of those EPI-USE employees to the San Fernando Valley to help fix my payroll issues? Honestly, I can't afford to waste my time or gas going downtown.

-- Maxine Drapkin

North Hills

LAUSD incompetency

Everything the LAUSD payroll system has tried has failed the past year. Why can't they learn from their mistakes? We need to hear from the true victims of this disaster, the dedicated hard-working teachers who continue to teach when there really is not a light at the end of this tunnel. Someone explain to the public why there are grief counselors and security guards at the district payroll office when you come to try to resolve your payroll dispute. This is incompetency at its best!

-- Linda Faherty

Which Caruso?

Re "Pavarotti human, too" (Sept. 12):

Maria Hall says, "As far I am concerned, Pavarotti far outshined Caruso." Was Maria Hall ever present to a live performance of Enrico Caruso? Because only a person present to a live performance of Enrico Caruso and later Pavarotti could make that kind of statement. Since Caruso died in 1921, that should make Maria Hall about 100-plus years old. Is she confusing Enrico Caruso with David Caruso of CSI: Miami?

-- Lois S. Rochetti

West Hills

Microstamping

Microstamping (AB 1471) passed the state Assembly and the Senate. If the governor is honest about his commitment to reducing gang violence as he recently advocated, he will sign this bill. The technology has been proven, despite inaccurate statements made by the opposition, who are more interested in selling guns than saving lives. Microstamping will provide a very valuable tool to catch criminals, reduce crime and save lives.

-- Kay Holmen

President, California chapters of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence

Granada Hills

The rape of the public

I received the notice of proposed water revenue increase for the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power dated Aug. 27. They are calling it a "fee increase." I call it the rape of the people of Los Angeles.

The city can't increase your taxes without your vote, so they just create or increase "fees" instead.

Year after year, the DWP hands over millions of dollars to the city's general fund, which the City Council spends as it sees fit. Meanwhile, needed maintenance was postponed, year after year. There's maintenance that should have been done from Mulholland's era through the Kennedy presidency. By the way, DWP is planning the same thing for electrical rates.

-- Henry J. Magid

Arleta

Effects of war

If you'd asked me last week if we were safer than we were before Sept. 11 (2001), I'd say: "Are you out of your mind?" We're in more danger than ever. The little boy in Iraq who was doused with gas and set on fire by masked men may be grateful to the U.S. surgeons who will try to help him. But when he grows up, he (and other children who've seen their mom and dad and siblings blown up) will realize that this happened because we invaded Iraq.

Some people might read that story and deflect feelings of guilt by association by saying "it doesn't affect me." Problem is, when it does happen any day now, (despite Bush's posturing), it will affect all Americans, and the sympathy of the world may no longer be with us.

-- Jennifer Rabuchin

Burbank

North vs. south

If the Valley has to get a new area code, it might be best to have the split between 818 and 747 run east to west, north of Rinaldi Street. This is the newest-built area of the Valley and would affect the least number of existing businesses and homes. Thanks to the City Council and Planning Department, there will be major new construction of homes and businesses north of Rinaldi in future years and therefore where the majority of new phone numbers will be needed.

-- Irving Leemon

Northridge

Just look away

Re "Acts of nature" (Your Opinions, Sept. 12):

Pamela Franklin concedes that breast-feeding is "considered an act of nature." But she is protective of those people who might feel uncomfortable when it is done in public unless they "cover themselves."

Franklin should consider herself lucky she does not live in a society where women, on pain of stoning or worse, are compelled to cover themselves from head to foot with chadors whether or not they are nursing. My advice to her: Next time she sees a nursing mother in a restaurant, look the other way.

-- Michael Leviton

Encino

Discreet is easy

Re "Debate over public breast-feeding" (Sept. 8):

As a mother who breast-fed three children, I can honestly say that I am pro-breast-feeding. At the same time, it's about showing common courtesy to those around you.

You do not have to completely cover your baby's head to be discreet. There are many ways to accomplish that while keeping both your baby, yourself, and those around you, comfortable. This does not make you a prude or a pervert. I've been there myself, and I was always discreet and respectful to those around me.

As for the picture of the nursing moms that were shown, those didn't look like babies to me. They looked like toddlers who should be able to drink from a sippy cup, and chew some food too.

-- Sisson Stewart

Lancaster

Wrong question

The state Legislature wants to ban smoking in cars when children are present, and look to fine those that do smoke with children in the car. At present, tobacco is a legal product, sold and taxed by the state, so the question should be framed about whether tobacco is a harmful product or it isn't.

If it is a harmful product, then we shouldn't be discussing the hows and wheres of smoking -- we should be banning it. And our government shouldn't be in partnership with a product that it claims is a health hazard. Where is the responsibility of the government that knows the product is harmful, taxes it for revenue, bases government programs on the sale of this product, but refuses to remove it from the market? There is something very wrong with a government profiting from a product that it knows is harmful to the health of its citizens.

-- Barry Levy

Hawthorne

No responsibility

Re "Lights Out Again" (Sept. 12):

Deja vu. The Department of Water and Power breaks promises. The Los Angeles City Council breaks promises. The mayor breaks promises. When are these "community-minded" people going to take responsibility for the jobs they have accepted? Not one of them appears to have a problem cashing the checks and demanding raises in fees and wages.

Please, people, take responsibility or you may soon learn that the ballot is the best term limit there is. We will vote you out of office, and the commissioners and managers of DWP will hear from its customers regarding their failure to perform the duties and responsibilities of their assigned positions.

-- Louise Clarke Stone

Sunland

Anti-gang tax

Property owners, the City Council is after us again. Just $30 million this time, $40 on our property tax. If you are very wealthy or very poor, that is insignificant -- but we in the middle, now that is another matter.

By using the ballot, the council knows it is a done deal. Few people turn out to vote, so fraud is a big factor and I wonder how many renters, who love to stick it to us, realize that when the property tax goes up, so does the rent.

Laura Chick is asking the council to wait until she finishes auditing the current gang-prevention programs. If we have one, why do we need another?

--Geraldine Thompson

Los Angeles

Another fine fix

LAUSD officials have indicated that it may take up to one year to fix the problem with their financial computer system. How long do they predict it will take to "fix" the problems with grades K-12?

-- Gene Goodwein

Van Nuys