LETTERS : Concurrent Council, Airport Meetings

In your “Westside Watch” column Nov. 14 you mention that Mayor (Richard) Riordan’s new Airport Commission has set its meeting time in conflict with the City Council’s. The result is that Councilwoman Ruth Galanter, who represents the LAX area, has a conflict every time she wants to attend a commission meeting.

Before Riordan’s election, Galanter was fairly visible on LAX reform issues. Since he took office, we haven’t heard a peep out of her, even while Riordan has been battling the greedy airlines in court over landing fee increases, getting headlines all the way.

I am concerned that my district is not getting the representation we need in managing LAX. I thought that Ruth Galanter had fired a prominent staffer for criticizing Riordan and explained it in your pages by saying she had to be able to “work with these people” on airport issues? Why doesn’t the councilwoman have the clout to arrange for her attendance on this important commission? It’s beginning to look like what Galanter really did was signal Riordan she was his patsy, and now he’s all too happy to treat her accordingly.

ELIZABETH BERNSTEIN

Los Angeles