Rescinded Brush Inspection Fee Order

The passage of the 1999 public-safety bond measure was tenuous at best. Mayor Richard Riordan traveled the Valley on March 31 in an attempt to resusciate passage of Proposition 1. (“Riordan Pushes for Funding,” April 1.)

The Los Angeles Fire Department “executed” the bond measure with its April Fools’ Day mailing to property owners. The Fire Department virtually buried any hope it might have had for new fire stations. They probably added the last incendiary device needed to fuel Valley seccession from the city of Los Angeles.

Who will track the money? It will slush into the general fund, won’t it? Who will manage it? Who will be responsible? Where is the safeguard? Where is the oversight committee? If my calculations are correct, $48,600 was spent on this mailing and an identical amount will be spent on the blunder mailing. Capt. Paul Quagliata, commander of the brush clearance unit, has requested additional phone lines to be installed. Who will pay for those? How about those homeowners who already paid this fine? Will they get a refund?

I submit that the Fire Department sorely needs someone with better public relations expertise, who would not cause a suicidal decision to be made to eliminate the chance of obtaining 17 new fire stations and at the same time deprive the Los Angeles Police Department of badly needed facilities.

A paramedic ambulance crew couldn’t save this bond measure.

ELLIE VARGAS

Woodland Hills

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I don’t understand why your article was on the front page of the Valley section instead of the editorial section.

I am also a resident of Woodland Hills. I wonder if Hilary MacGregor has any idea that the firemen of the Canoga Avenue station used their own money to purchase a wall air-conditioning unit; the summers run over 100 degrees here. There is one firetruck and no paramedic. Their territory has been constantly expanded and they have fewer men than in 1982. Does she know that many of the homeowners ignore the law regarding brush clearance because there are no funds to enforce or perform clearance?

I believe that there are many of us out here who do care about reality beyond a “freshly cut green lawn, an azure blue swimming pool, a backyard of well-watered ivy and a gardener to take care of it all.”

I mailed my $13 check to the Fire Department yesterday and wrote “thank you” on it.

DIANNE CLEVENGER

Woodland Hills