L.A. Election

The June 6 runoff election is over and after spending another quarter-million dollars on hired precinct walkers, fancy full-color brochures and a slew of endorsement letters from every possible local politician of both parties, Barbara Yaroslavsky has managed to get only 1,424 more votes than in the April primary!

The message here is threefold. First, there is no substitute for concentrating on and being thoughtful and knowledgeable about the issues. Second, you can’t buy some kinds of support: There still is nothing better than the enthusiasm and sincerity of volunteers, especially walking door to door. Third, if there is nothing real to attack, the attacks don’t work.

This should be a searing indictment of a campaign tactic of name-calling, character assassination and brute fabrication. If the candidate herself does not recognize that her vacuous hate mail pushed voters to, rather than away from, her opponent--or sadly, away from the polls altogether--maybe the alleged brains behind these obnoxious programs, so-called savvy political consultants, will finally take note. (But don’t count on it.)

JOAN H. LEONARD

Sherman Oaks

* Regarding the defeat of Measure 1: When will Los Angeles get the message that instead of coming after the taxpayers for funding every time it sees a vital need that might sell with the voters, find something less vital like Cable TV Consumer Services, the Commission on the Status of Women, the Rent Stabilization Board, municipal arts or Project Restore from which to redirect funds? This city will never convince people to pay more taxes when they perceive the taxes they already pay are being spent on things like these.

PATRICK C. PASCAL

Los Angeles