Westminster Erred in Settling Tet Suit

* Re “City to Pay $42,500 Over Canceled Tet Festival,” Aug. 27:

As a Westminster resident, I was appalled to read that the city agreed to pay the Tet Festival organizers $42,500 to settle a lawsuit filed over the cancellation of last year’s Tet celebration.

Just as disturbing was the statement made by the city attorney, Richard D. Jones, “It’s a win-win situation.”

How could it be considered a win-win situation if the city has to dish out $42,500 in taxpayer money in order to settle the lawsuit?

It’s my understanding that city officials denied the Tet Festival committee a permit to hold the event in February 1997 because merchants complained that the celebration would hurt businesses along Bolsa Avenue.

It seems to me that our elected officials have the right to issue or deny festival permits based on individual merit and input from the entire community.

For the City Council and city attorney to turn around a year and a half later and cough up $42,500 without challenging the lawsuit in court indicates to me that they were not only intimidated by the Tet Festival organizers but that the issuance of festival permits has now become political.

The city of Westminster did not win, it lost.

WILLIAM DE LA GARZA

Westminster