L.A. Mayor Candidates

Re “An Ugly Job, but New Mayor Will Have to Cut Services,” March 7:

Bill Boyarsky’s statement that I’ve “called for trimming 15% from the funds allocated for rebuilding the sewer system and cleaning up Santa Monica Bay” gives the impression that I am less than fully committed to cleaning up the bay. Nothing could be further from the truth.

I am a strong proponent of full secondary treatment and of meeting all of our federal and state waste-water requirements. The only question I raised is whether we’re wasting much of the money we’ve set aside for this purpose. Unfortunately, we are.

One look at the bloated sewer service system will reveal enormous waste and inefficiency in the system, including lack of cost controls, project overdesign, conflicts of interest, overstaffing, excessive change orders and unjustified overtime payments.

It’s a system which cries out for reform. That’s why I’ve proposed an independent outside financial and management audit of the system, which is now under way.

I’m confident it will enable us to cut at least 15% from the budget without impairing our ability to meet our clean water requirements. And that’s enough to put nearly 2,000 new police officers out on our streets to make this city safer for all.

JOEL WACHS

Los Angeles Councilman