Roxani Gillespie

The authors of two letters (Nov. 30) vilifying Insurance Commissioner Roxani Gillespie are sadly misguided. Gillespie has a thankless job trying to implement one of the most poorly written initiatives in the history of California.

The courts have ruled repeatedly that portions of Prop. 103 or regulations proposed to implement it are unconstitutional, deny due process or expropriate private property. Unfortunately, the issues have had to be settled one by one in the courts.

Insurance companies, like other private businesses or citizens, are exercising their right to seek redress through the courts. They are going to court because they can demonstrate that the rollbacks and freezes impair their ability to pay soaring claims costs, especially litigation fees. The only beneficiaries to date are trial lawyers.

With the passage of Prop. 103, the California Department of Insurance staff was increased by 266 positions and its budget was increased from $35 million to $57 million--money that could be better spent on other ways to reduce automobile insurance costs such as improving automobile highway safety, getting drunk drivers off the road, and prosecuting automobile theft and insurance fraud. If we must blame someone for breaking a promise of something-for-nothing, it should be Harvey Rosenfield of Voter Revolt and the trial lawyers who support him for fabricating this taxpayer rip-off.

PETER GORMAN

Director of Public Affairs

Alliance of American Insurers

San Francisco