7th District City Council Race

Kudos to The Times on this nonpartisan descriptions of the 7th District candidates in its April 4 editorial (“Fresh Start for 7th District”).

Now let’s review the participants in the race. They include a candidate who can boast the most endorsements and money raised, who has been groomed straight from college to be part of the political machine. Unfortunately, his only experience is running campaigns. Then there’s a candidate who makes a business of spending government funds and would like to seek more business. A Republican who has most of the other Republicans backing him up, with the exception of one in City Hall. Add a few good-hearted community activists, and what you end up with is a candidate that stands out above everyone else; the only one who has done that type of job before, with the experience of running an entire city, and the only one with a solid track record for solving problems like eliminating a gang from a city, adding police without raising taxes and getting contractors to donate time and resources to community projects. That person is Raul Godinez.

The 168 lines The Times dedicated to this subject will help us make the decision to vote for the most qualified person in the race. No matter how little media coverage some candidates get, the 7th District voters will have the opportunity to choose between an elected official or a politician. Let’s not let money and popularity influence our voting decision April 13.

DAVID GUTIERREZ

Pacoima

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I am writing in response to the March 30 article by Patrick McGreevy on Corinne Sanchez (“Agency Run by Sanchez Again Under Review”). This article displays a tabloid-style headline that shouts wrongdoing--read me and all will be revealed! What is troubling is that the article reveals nothing but a program review customary to all city of Los Angeles-funded programs. Look a little further. Buried in the article are comments by Barker Khorasanee, Los Angeles Community Development Department, stating that Sanchez’s agency’s overall performance has been good on grants during the last 20 years.

Why the sensational headline with no substance? Is it an attack against Sanchez or just outright dirty politics? Sensational and misleading headlines, when positive remarks are buried within the article, make you question motivations and the timing and point of the article. I am not naive to the realities of a political race, especially a hotly contested race. But isn’t it the responsibility of The Times to provide objective reporting reflecting the integrity of a major, legitimate newspaper--not stoop to tabloid-style journalism to draw attention?

HECTOR BARRAGAN

Sylmar