Davis’ Power Plan

* Re “Davis Says State Will Buy Power for Resale to Utilities,” Jan. 14: Gov. Gray Davis’ grand plan to avert the electricity crisis is for the taxpayers to buy electricity from the producers with a long-term contract at low cost. He then plans to sell it to the electric companies at cost. The electric companies will then sell it back to the taxpayers (whom they prefer to call “consumers”) for a much higher cost, trying to recoup losses and make a tidy profit at the same time. The Democrats and Republicans are using our money to help those “poor businesses” instead of us.

Here’s a better plan: Let the electric companies go bankrupt; then the taxpayers can buy their distribution channels. We’re already going to buy the electricity that fills them.

PAUL BURNEY

Bellflower

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Re “Jolt of Hope,” editorial, Jan. 14: The crowning irony of the recent energy crisis in California is one of historical proportions. In this age when deregulation and unfettered capitalism are regularly touted as socioeconomic cure-alls, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, that unfashionable, citizen-owned relic of turn-of-the-century Progressivism and “gas and water” socialism, stands strong amid a field of foundering free-market competitors.

PETER LA CHAPELLE

Los Angeles

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In his analysis of the current energy crisis (Commentary, Jan. 15), Al Checchi has rightly pointed out that the slow growth of California’s infrastructure is not adequate for its rapidly growing population and will spell out more trouble if not taken care of. However, on a list of possible long-term remedies the author forgot to mention one very important option: population stabilization. Because of limited resources, we cannot grow indefinitely, so it is not the question of “if” but “when” will we stop growing. We can do it now, or wait until we reach the density of population of India. The choice is ours; we just need to make sure that we know what we are stepping into.

MAREK A. SUCHENEK

Redondo Beach