Public-Sector Jobs

Government employees produce education, public safety and fire protection, libraries, streets and their lighting and traffic controls, national defense, parks, cleaner air and water, sanitation and functioning sewers and, in Los Angeles and some other lucky cities, reliable electric power (letter, Feb. 5).

True, these are not widgets, but they are things of value that make living in this great country feasible, and even enjoyable. Private-sector employees are laid off because their employers have decided that they are not needed, not because they plan to donate the saved wages to pay government employees instead. The same thing also happens to public employees.

RON SAMUELS

Studio City