Brentwood or Mar Vista?

Re “D.A. looks into Burke’s residency,” July 31

My hat’s off to The Times for bringing Yvonne B. Burke’s alleged residency charade to light. It is astonishing to discover the lengths to which the L.A. County supervisor has gone to maintain the pretense of residing in her district by leaving her Brentwood home and driving the five miles to meet her chauffeur at the Mar Vista townhouse in the morning, and then getting dropped back in the evening, so she can continue five miles back to her Brentwood home. It is my hope that Dist. Atty. Steve Cooley will press the case that she has not lived up to one of the primary requirements of her position. But if this matter goes beyond his purview, or he finds it too much of a conflict of interest, then what entity has jurisdiction? Should we, the electorate, find comfort at the state level, or will we need to go on to the paragon of judicial rectitude that we know as the U.S. Department of Justice led by Atty. Gen. Alberto R. Gonzales?

Regine Wood

Mar Vista

Burke pays taxes to L.A. County on both her townhouse in Mar Vista, which is in her district, and her other residence in Brentwood, which is not. So, the question is, has she spent more time in Brentwood, Zev Yaroslavsky’s district, than she has spent in her own district? Perhaps, but what is so unusual about Burke occasionally sleeping in the Brentwood home with her husband? And whose business is it anyway where Burke sleeps? Is she required to represent her district when she is asleep?

Angie Papadakis

Rancho Palos Verdes

Re “Burke handles her business,” Opinion, July 31

I cannot send my children to a particular school because we live outside that school’s district boundaries. Nonetheless, Burke lives outside her district, but, according to Earl Ofari Hutchinson, it’s OK because she’s in touch with her constituents. Sorry, Mr. Hutchinson, Burke has engaged in situational ethics while the rest of us have to play by the rules, and there’s no getting past it.

Robert Levin

Agoura Hills

I am frankly stunned that such an esteemed and respected citizen as Hutchinson would apparently let his personal friendship with Burke disrupt his objectivity. Despite what he tries to claim -- that the issue of her effectiveness is the “crucial” question -- this issue is very simple. If Burke doesn’t live in her district, then she shouldn’t be allowed to act as that district’s representative. Plain and simple. Her effectiveness or her love of the constituents doesn’t really matter. Hutchinson, of all people, should know better.

Steve Caruso

Elk Grove, Calif.