Paroling Prisoners

* Re “Angry Lawmakers Ax Parole Board Budget,” April 23: Congratulations to state Sens. John Burton and Richard Polanco for their political courage in trying to force the Board of Prison Terms to follow the law in granting paroles to deserving prisoners.

Every prisoner who merits parole and is not released is costing the taxpayers over $25,000 a year. With education severely underfunded we cannot continue to divert huge sums to keeping people in prison when the law states a release date must be set unless the prisoner remains a danger to society. This, of course, also does not count the losses of taxes if the prisoner returns to gainful employment in society.

W. EARL HABERLIN

La Canada