TV Ad for Tax Hike Turns Them Off

Re “TV Ad for Tax Hike Plays Fear Card,” Oct. 10: I’m sure that both Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca and Los Angeles Police Chief William Bratton know how to get the money to place thousands more police on the streets. It doesn’t take more taxes, it only takes county and city officials to stand up to the employees of the city and county and say enough is enough when it comes to the runaway costs of wages and benefits.

Many public employees enjoy over 15 days off and five weeks of vacation each year. They can also retire with 90% of their wages after 30 years of work, regardless of age.

I would challenge any city or county official to comment on this. I cannot vote for an increase in taxes at this time.

Eugene Thomas

Pasadena

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When I first saw the ad, it struck me immediately as another shameless attempt to use fear to get people to behave a certain way. The extreme nature of that ad tells me that those behind it want to manipulate me by scaring me half to death, much as the Bush administration is doing on a regular basis, especially during this election cycle. To paraphrase: When people are afraid, you can get them to do anything you want. I expect we’ll see and hear more and more of these kinds of ads leading up to Nov. 2. I believe regime change in Washington will lead to a change away from the rhetoric of fear.

Leslie Strunk

Burbank

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The TV commercial described in your article, with the desperate mother waiting for too-late help from 911, is a very powerful one -- especially for the National Rifle Assn.

Denzel L. Dyer

Rancho Palos Verdes