Criticism of Wachs Misses Big Picture

* Your editorial (“A Fiscal Fitness Trainer for City Hall,” Sept. 3) commending and praising Joel Wachs but taking him to task for asking reimbursement of car expenses for his city-owned automobile only shows how shortsighted your editorial policy is. Joel has shown a waste of millions, but you take him to task over pennies.

Joel Wachs has done nothing that isn’t given executives in private industry. He was open and above board and it violated no law. I wonder what perks the senior editors of the Los Angeles Times receive? Why is it that our elected officials are taken to task for such items as car expenses, and other council members’ wasteful activities, such as defense of sexual harassment lawsuits that require the expenditure of hundreds of thousands of dollars, are forgotten?

Are you chastising Wachs because he does not follow the dictates of the Los Angeles Times? It’s time that The Times gives its attention to the waste of millions, not pennies. As a constituent of Joel Wachs’, I’m proud to say he is my councilman.

JOSEPH MERDLER

North Hollywood