Director of CRA Misses the Point

I would like to set the record straight on points in your article concerning my stands on crime.

I have proposed using downtown redevelopment agency tax increment funds to help pay for the hiring of additional police officers. Your article quoted the director of the Community Redevelopment Agency as saying that agency funds could not currently be used in this manner. His statement totally misses the point.

Your article neglected to mention that the CRA is now under court order to begin returning increment funding to the city’s general fund once a $750-million limit has been reached this year.

Once in the general fund, that money can and should be used for hiring additional police officers. The CRA director’s failure to mention this court order can only be attributed to bureaucratic self-interest.

Right now, the downtown developers and their political allies on the council are desperately trying to get that $750-million “cap” raised to $4 billion. The lifting of the cap will allow continued pointless downtown redevelopment.

The city desperately needs more revenue. That’s why I strongly oppose lifting the $750-million cap--Hal Bernson does not.

On the issue of mandatory expulsion, the policy I authored stipulates that students who bring weapons to school be expelled from the regular school system. I have firmly adhered to this policy.

In some cases, these students are referred to programs outside of the regular campuses that specialize in teaching students with serious behavioral problems. Allowing these children the chance to rehabilitate themselves makes sense. What do we gain by simply turning armed students loose on our neighborhoods with no supervision at all?

I have a strong record on fighting crime that has earned me the endorsement of the Los Angeles Unified School District’s police officers. But even more important, I have a plan for making our community safer. My positions were not accurately reflected in your article.

JULIE KORENSTEIN, Northridge