RIORDAN WINS MAYOR’S RACE

* I was born, raised and have lived in Los Angeles for all of my 28 years. I never seriously entertained the idea of leaving this city until a couple of years ago. However, after the election Richard Riordan as mayor I plan to stay in the City of Angels . . . at least for another four years and maybe longer! BARBARA KAYE Los Angeles

* It was with great sadness that I picked up my Times and read “Riordan Wins Mayor’s Race” (June 9). I just couldn’t accept that Riordan really had a chance of governing our city, so I suppose I didn’t take this threat seriously enough. My mistake--and the city of Los Angeles’ mistake--as we all will find out very soon. This first-time candidate with no experience bought his office and no one seems to care. He knew the only way to win this prize was to spend as much as he had to and make sure Michael Woo could only spend as little as possible. Why else did the Riordan campaign violently block funds to Woo from the California Democratic Party? This left the door open for Riordan to blanket the city with signs and mailers with no possible response from Woo. I think everyone would agree that Riordan won this race largely on his “tough” stance on crime (and in my opinion pandered to and exploited the fears of Angelenos). What he doesn’t realize is that creating a police state out of Los Angeles will only worsen the situation and the “war zone” (as Riordan likes to term L.A.) will become a reality. As a native and great lover of Los Angeles I am actually looking forward to my transfer to New York later this month. BRADEN MICHAELS Brentwood

* After observing this past election, I am convinced that a category titled “None of the Above” should be placed on the ballot. If the majority of voters chose this option, then both candidates would be considered rejected and a new election called with two new candidates. I am tired of voting for the lesser of two evils. MICHAEL T. VETRIE Sylmar

* In a post-election TV news “bite,” Supervisor Gloria Molina expressed doubts about Riordan’s ability to perform as mayor, saying that it is easier to “run a business” than what they (politicians) do--”run people’s lives.” It is hoped that Molina will be supportive of our new mayor, and remember that the majority of the voters, and presumably many of her constituents, are tired of having their lives “run” by traditional politicians. FRAN MILLER Los Angeles

* In an age of mudslinging and personal attacks, Los Angeles voters should be congratulated on rising above Nixonian attack politics--particularly evident in the mayor’s race. The best man won and we are indeed fortunate that voters saw beyond Woo’s highly negative smear campaign and focused on the issues. SANFORD A. LECHTICK Woodland Hills

* The smoke clears and we now have a Republican millionaire mayor in Los Angeles to go along with our Republican governor. Considering Pete Wilson’s performance as California’s worst governor, it’s Dick Riordan’s turn. Will the last one out of L.A., and all of California, please turn out the lights? THOMAS E. COLLINS Panorama City

* The election of Riordan demonstrates one thing: You can fool all of the people some of the time. But if you have $6 million to spend, you can buy enough votes every time. Another triumph for “monetary democracy” in Los Angeles. JIM EMERSON Los Angeles

* Just before election day I received a flyer in the mail offering free doughnuts in exchange for my voting ballot stub. When I went to the bakery to pick up my bounty, the doughnuts didn’t look anything like the picture in the flyer. Even after buying my vote with a bag of doughnuts, these pathetic candidates couldn’t let me have just one chocolate doughnut that I really wanted instead of six sprinkled ones I didn’t want. ROBIN UNDERWOOD Venice

* Congratulations on your most statesmanlike editorial (June 4) endorsing Woo’s candidacy for mayor. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the winning candidate would show the same high standard of statesmanship by inviting the loser to join his new administration. To succeed, they may need each other, and to become the city we once were, we may need them both. BUD BLITZER Los Angeles

* I would like to thank The Times and President Clinton for their endorsements of Woo. As a Riordan supporter, I feel you did Los Angeles a great favor. OTTO E. BARON Los Angeles

COLLEGE ENROLLMENT * How many people remember when the California State Universities and Community Colleges had a goal of encouraging enrollment rather then discouraging it? J. D. KEITHAHN San Juan Capistrano

VIDEO TEAMS * Your article (June 12) incorrectly reported that Los Angeles Councilwoman Joan Milke Flores’ proposal for testing of Video Surveillance Teams (VST) and the use of reserve officers was a new program that will be tried in three division of the city. The VST and the use of reserve officers is not new. For almost two years volunteers in Devonshire Division have been running just such a program--and I might add with great success! The VST was organized by the senior lead officers and Capt. Vance Proctor. During the past year this group has successfully acquired donations of equipment and with the use of reserve officers and volunteer citizens has successfully caught a number of criminals in the act. HAL BERNSON Councilman, 12th District

CANCELED SCHOOL VISIT * As the principal of Heschel Day School, I was disappointed by your article “Northridge School Bars Navajo Students” (June 2). The reporters distorted the “facts” in the guise of objective news and served to incite some readers as evidenced by the “hate” calls and letters we received. In your headline, you chose to use the verb “bars,” a word which conjures up negative visual images and implies that the decision to cancel the visit was one-sided. In fact, this was not the case. Mary Hunter, assistant superintendent of the Chinle School District, and I were in close contact the entire weekend and made the decision jointly. Last year, Chinle School officials canceled their visit to Heschel out of concern for the safety of their students during the Los Angeles riots. We understood and supported their decision. I was likewise forced to make a decision that was in the best interest of my children’s well-being. With no knowledge of how this mysterious illness was transmitted or the length of its incubation period, as a responsible administrator, I had no other choice. Moreover, I am puzzled as to how those health officials who stated that we “overreacted” could be so certain that there was no danger. They had no definitive information regarding this fatal illness and continue to seek answers. Despite the negative tone of your coverage, which might have jeopardized a less secure relationship, we will continue our treasured friendship with our Navajo counterparts. At this time, many of our current and alumni parents, together with the community at large, have offered to contribute funds to make a return visit possible when the health risk is no longer a concern. We look forward to that opportunity. SHIRLEY LEVINE Principal, Herschel Day School Northridge

* We are seventh-graders at Abraham Joshua Heschel Day School. We are very disturbed by some of the misinformation and omissions in the article. Shirley Levine, our principal, encourages us to learn about and appreciate all ethnic groups. She discouraged the Navajo children from making their annual visit to our school for fear of a fatal disease that is infecting the Navajo people and others. Heschel students have been engaged for many years in reciprocal visits with the Chinle students. In the article, you implied that we are “rich snobs” and children of rich lawyers and judges. How can you say this? Many of us have been hit hard by the recession and are on financial assistance to stay at this school. Not only are the majority of our parents middle-class working people, some parents are actually unemployed. MIRI WEXLER GINA GOREN TALIA NAVAMA Northridge

WORKERS’ COMP * Re “Workers’ Comp Crisis: No Time for Band-Aid,” editorial, June 8: It is unlikely that workers’ comp will be reformed. Assembly Speaker Willie Brown gets almost as much from the trial lawyers association as he does from the tobacco industry. I would also like to point out that benefits on comp are tax-free. Unemployment benefits are less and they are taxed. Is it any wonder that when you allow laid-off workers to choose between these two systems that they choose the tax-free benefits with the payoff at the end (for permanent disability). They will get several thousand dollars as a minimum for even the most fraudulent claim. As the manager of a family business I have seen our premiums go up 324% in three years because every person we have laid off for whatever reason (including falsifying records) has filed a stress claim on us. Believe me I know why employers are fleeing this state. It is the sheer injustice of seeing every dime we can make going down this outrageous rat hole. SUSAN RENAKER NIKAS San Dimas