Examining Candidates, Issues and Financing

Four years ago I voted for James K. Hahn for mayor. This election neither candidate looked appealing but I shifted my support to Antonio Villaraigosa. After giving it more thought I came back to Hahn. The reason: He won’t be eligible to run again and he’ll have more time to tend to city business instead of spending four years preparing to run for another term.

Richard Stalder

Chatsworth

Re “Contracts, Position Flow to Hahn Ally,” May 10: It seems a tangled web of malfeasance has weaved its presence through the Port of Los Angeles. The practice of enriching a hand-chosen few with lucrative contracts and special favors has resulted in entrenched mediocrity and pervasive conflicts of interest. The port’s $120-billion operation ought to be watched more carefully by the state and its citizens. A big thank you to The Times for shedding a little light on the tip of the iceberg.

Kathleen Woodfield

San Pedro

Re Hahn versus Villaraigosa: It’s sickening to listen to the mudslinging! That won’t get you elected mayor. In fact, it turns people off! Get to the issues.

Lillian Harrow

Los Angeles

Richard Hasen’s idea of providing public campaign financing for city elections in the form of $25 vouchers for citizens to give to candidates (Commentary, May 10) is an interesting way to address L.A.’s campaign financing crisis.

Unfortunately, it would reinforce the negatives of the existing system. Without a mechanism for providing funds to strong but little-known candidates so they can get their message out, it would lock in the popularity contest aspect of private fundraising. It would reward the best-known candidates with the most dollars instead of leveling the playing field.

Conversely, under a Clean Money full public financing system, all candidates who qualify for public grants receive equal amounts of funding to run their campaigns after they’ve proven their viability by showing a broad base of support, refusing private donations, and agreeing to limit campaign spending.

Aaron D. Cervantes

Latino Outreach Manager

California Clean Money

Campaign, Los Angeles