Crash settlement is a wreck

Re “California Briefing: State settles suit in Migden crash,” July 7

Inside your paper, under a minuscule headline, I read about the horrific driving record of ex-state Sen. Carole Migden of San Francisco.

In this latest crash in 2007, she was driving at 80 mph while talking on her cellphone, resulting in multiple crashes until she rear-ended a stopped car causing injury to two people. In 2006, the state had to pay $5,000 when she sideswiped a bus.

Furthermore, when Migden lost her Senate seat, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed her to the Integrated Waste Management Board -- a panel that he himself has declared unnecessary.

I appreciate The Times’ exposing such scandalous behavior by a state senator and the mysterious appointment by the governor. Moreover, I would like to hear a debate about why we taxpayers have to pay for an official’s misbehavior.

Ted Wu

Los Angeles

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May I ask which state officials agreed to pay the $335,000 settlement for Migden? Were we responsible for her reckless driving because the SUV she was in was a state perk for being a state senator? Is she not still employed (by the state, no less), so why can’t she pay for her own misdeeds?

Joyce Blaskovich

Aptos, Calif.

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Excuse me, but why is the state paying this woman’s bills? Doesn’t she have insurance? No wonder California is sinking fast.

Barbara Hardesty

Los Angeles

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No wonder California is in financial trouble when it pays $132,000 to a member of some dubious board that meets once a month: $11,000 a meeting? How many members are on that board?

Mike Mlikotin

Venice