Los Angeles Council Races

Re “Four Choices in Important L.A. City Council Races,” editorial, May 27:

I can’t believe your editorial staff reads your newspaper. You paid no attention to what had been printed when you endorsed Laura Chick in the 3rd District City Council race. Every time the Warner Ridge zoning issues came before the council, Joy Picus carried the day on behalf of the neighborhood’s interests. It took a bullying developer, the resources of a major Eastern bank and the courts to defeat the community’s desires. Picus must be regarded as extremely effective by the advocates of growth if it takes that kind of power arrayed against her to defeat her.

Her opponent so far seems to want to duck development issues. In public debates she has proposed directing developers to “neighborhood councils.” I can’t tell whether she wants to stand above or hide beneath the fray. Is that leadership?

HARRY KUES

Woodland Hills

* I have noted with great disappointment that you endorsed Richard Alarcon in the 7th District City Council race. Your editorial chose to ignore the outstanding record of his opponent, former Los Angeles City Fire Capt. Lyle Hall.

As a former candidate for the same seat, and as a long-time community activist, I want to paint a far different and more positive portrait of Hall. To me, and to the people whose lives he has touched and benefited, Lyle Hall is a highly decorated firefighter and reserve police officer, someone who has spent 31 years out on the streets, saving lives and protecting homes and property.

I know Hall as a concerned, caring and involved community leader, someone who has willingly and effectively given his own time and effort to improve the quality of life in the district and the relations between its diverse ethnic and racial communities. Alarcon, while the official representative of the mayor in the Valley, has presided over the decline of our neighborhoods and streets.

As someone who ran in the primary, I now enthusiastically endorse Lyle Hall.

ANNE FINN

Sylmar

* I haved worked on the Tom LaBonge for City Council campaign since last January and I have walked precincts weekly. I stood and listened as voters told me their concerns about the city. Most of the time their concerns were no bigger than the end of their street:

“We need more police on patrol.” “Someone stole my trash cans.” “I’m so sick of graffiti.” “My street needs repair.”

The people of the 13th District have obviously been neglected in these areas and they desperately want to see the quality of life improved in their neighborhoods. You criticize Tom LaBonge for having “a more limited vision of the job,” but that is precisely what the people of the 13th are crying out for.

BRUCE BACKLEY

Los Angeles

* Shame on Joan Flores! Her campaign literature has sunk to a new low! Rather than address the issues of importance to our community (District 15), she has chosen to devote every piece of mail to calling Rudy Svorinich a liar.

Those who grew up in San Pedro know that Rudy is a sincere and honest young man who cares about his community. Rather than name-calling, why doesn’t she tell us what she has done in 12 years that makes her deserving of reelection?

RICHARD MILLER

San Pedro