Empowerment Zone Grant

It is absolutely incomprehensible that Los Angeles lost to competition in its bid to be included as a primary recipient of the Title XX Empowerment Zone program (Dec. 20-22). Not so much because it missed out as much as why it missed out.

It would seem that the Los Angeles application was prepared with complacency, on the premise that the program’s raison d’etre was the Los Angeles Riot II.

Local officials vociferously cried “help!” in the aftermath of the riot. Yet, when the hand yearned for was extended, it was treated with mindless attention.

If the yearned-for solution--in federal dole-out--is treated with such indifference, how might the actual problems be treated to begin with? With greater indifference, one might guess.

The alacrity with which Mayor Richard Riordan raised the issue of the application bias in favor of East Coast cities would probably have been more productive and beneficial if it got channeled toward a better application package instead of toward creating a lame excuse.

Riordan’s joint statement with Councilman Mike Hernandez that “this makes the decision to not include our city all the more unbelievable” is truly unbelievable. “Our application was actually very good,” the mayor said.

That makes it even more bothersome when our local officials’ self-described “very good” effort just is not good enough.

ANTE TRINIDAD

Glendale

* George Bush lost California in 1992 because he ignored our distressed economic status. Bill Clinton will lose here in 1996 for the same reason. Nobody said you have to be smart to be a one-term President.

RON SALMONS

Pacific Palisades

* I am deeply disappointed that Los Angeles did not receive empowerment zone designation. I am confronted with the physical and emotional scars of the riots every day with the places I go and the people I meet. However, I am outraged that Mayor Riordan is blaming the messenger.

I have worked in the nonprofit sector for the more than 25 years of my professional life and as a peer-reviewer for federal grants in my field, I am well-acquainted with the need to write a well-articulated grant proposal. Grant-seeking entities are required not just to demonstrate that they “need the money,” but to show that they have a clear understanding of the overall problem, can define the specific issues to be addressed and have a clear vision of how the organization will be able to effectively deal with the problem.

I am well aware of the internal squabbles over what areas of the city should be designated “empowerment zones.” The real problem was that the city officials wasted time, and then couldn’t get their act together enough to present a coherent proposal. Is this the federal government’s fault? Is this President Clinton’s fault? Or does the buck stop with the chief executive of the city?

I would not find the mayor’s sour-grapes attitude so offensive except that I have always admired Riordan as one of the pillars of the Los Angeles philanthropic community. His foundation has generously granted millions of dollars to worthy nonprofit organizations. Would his foundation grant billions of dollars to an organization that couldn’t put a well-thought-out proposal together? I think not.

Of course, Los Angeles needs the money. My own nonprofit needs additional funding for the worthy works that we do, but funders want to know that we have a clear vision of where we want to go and detailed plans of how to get there with the resources available.

PEGGY J. KAYSER

Los Angeles