Serving the Public

Re “The Coffee Break Is Over,” Commentary, Nov. 11: I’d like to take John Balzar’s commentary one step further. Several months ago I had occasion to research some State Department expenditures but my e-mails and phone calls were met with an attitude of complete carelessness. Fortunately I finally made contact with a manager who went out of his way to help me, even to the point of calling other staffers and asking them to contact me. When I thanked him for his attention, his response was that he was there to serve the public. Civil servants should be reminded that it is we who pay the taxes that pay their salaries. Let them serve, and let them be civil.

Peter Bloch

Los Angeles