Ways to Save Poison Control Center

As an employee of UCI Medical Center, I have some suggestions that may help to keep the Poison Control Center open.

Perhaps David Gardner, the outgoing president of the UC system, could donate part of the retirement benefits he will be receiving. Or the chancellors’ wives who get paid 10% of their husbands salary (for essentially doing nothing but entertaining) could donate some of that largess. Or the chancellors who obtain free docking privileges for their yachts in state waterways (while UC employees have to pay for parking their cars at work) could cut loose with some of their accumulated savings.

Or Jack Peltason, the new president of the UC system, could donate part of the huge benefit package he will be receiving--maybe the $41,000 he will be getting to maintain his Southern California home while he lives in the luxury of a rent-free, maintenance-free mansion in Berkeley. It would be a drop in the bucket compared to the rest of the package.

Nah, that won’t work. None of them will give up their perks. It will again be left up to the dedicated employees of the medical center who will take 1% or less in pay raises while the chancellors take a hefty pay and benefit increase (voted on in secret). The employees will try to keep this vitally needed center open as they have struggled to keep other critical centers open. It might work again.

SHIRLEY M. HAFNER

Fullerton