What TV owners really want; pension benefits to retiring L.A. County workers; criticizing Obama on healthcare reform

A content issue

Re “TV firms try to upstage absent Apple,” Business, Jan. 10

I find it amazing that the next big thing from Apple is expected to be a new way to interact with TV sets. Honestly, waving at my TV or even searching on my tablet for shows isn’t what I’m after.

Where is the real next big thing: the ability to watch what I want without having to pay for a bunch of channels I never watch? I understand the challenges of making this work, but I am an inch away from dumping my cable provider and getting my condo association to put up a high-definition antenna instead. I’d buy the stuff I really want to see.

The problem with TV isn’t how you tune in or even find the shows you want to watch. The problem is finding and just paying for the few video gems among all the cubic zirconia out there.

Barry Gerber

Los Angeles

Public money, public workers

Re “Retiring county workers cash in,” Jan. 8

This article is another fine one by The Times displaying abuse of taxpayer money.

State and local government officials always say they can’t change past and current contractual obligations, but I have never heard anyone ask in response, “But if you could, would you?”

Just as surprising is that no taxpayer advocate groups have challenged the government contracts in court on the basis of conflict of interest. How can legislators accept contributions from public employee unions while the state they serve is negotiating their contracts?

At some point, California will have to accept the principle that we need to pay people more for working than for not working.

Oren Grossi

Long Beach

Your article upset me. Not because an L.A. County sheriff’s lieutenant with a 30-year career was paid more than $100,000 for unused vacation and sick leave, but because The Times implied the payout was wrong.

I am not a government employee; I work for a private university. But I think that this public employee got exactly what she deserved.

What about the golden parachutes routinely given to executives in private companies that do business with government? It is the government contracts that help pay for those.

Victor Zlotnicki

Altadena

What is The Times’ point? These public employees worked for their benefits.

Rather than attacking these workers, The Times should be asking how we can expand the middle class. In this highly polarized world, this community does not need to pour fuel onto the fire of the divisive debate over public employee benefits.

Indeed, The Times should be courageously asking how we can increase such benefits for everyone else.

Salvador Sanchez

Silver Lake

Insurance woes

Re “Obama wimpy on health reform,” Column, Jan. 10

David Lazarus analyzes the problems in our healthcare reform debate very accurately.

I am an active, healthy 64-year-old. Still, several typical, manageable conditions prevented me from obtaining individual medical insurance coverage for years. As such, I have followed the dialogue about insurance reform with interest and concern.

Based on how the insurance industry has handled its responsibility as the gatekeeper to healthcare, it’s startling that so many folks believe that government programs and oversight are not necessary and that the marketplace will just self-regulate to the benefit of everyone who needs insurance.

Steve Freedman

Marina del Rey

Disturbing developments

Re “City is given pricey agency choice,” Jan. 11

Councilwoman Jan Perry said: “Everything is in chaos right now. We’re getting calls from developers every day saying what’s going to happen to my project? We need to answer them and quickly.”

Just once it would be nice to read that Perry said: “We’re getting calls from constituents every day. We need to answer them and quickly.”

But then again, in her mind, I guess that is what she did say.

Charles Soter

Los Angeles

Re “Redevelopment rescue,” Editorial, Jan. 6

Thank you for the fair-minded editorial on redevelopment. I understand the negative aspects, including redirecting tax dollars and the possibility of abuse. But I believe much more good has been done for many communities through the years.

I live in Montebello and have seen positive examples of the proper use of redevelopment, and I hope that something will be done to restore redevelopment agencies in some way.

Larry Salazar

Montebello

The writer is a Montebello city planning commissioner.

That’s capitalism

Re “What’s for the tea party not to like in Romney?,” Opinion, Jan. 8

The “capitalism” that Thomas Frank evidently despises has little to do with actual capitalism.

Anyone who writes, “ ‘Free market’ has always been a high-minded way of saying ‘gimme,’ and when the heat rises, the ‘market’ is invariably replaced by more direct methods, like demanding bailouts from the government you hate,” has no real understanding of capitalism. A free-market system completely separates the state from economics, where the proper function of government is to protect individual rights.

The tea party movement and many others want to return to a free-market economy, and they are concerned as to whether Mitt Romney also holds this view.

Frank uses a deceptive and incorrect description of the free-market system that has been so important to our country.

Judy Berliner

Los Angeles

Tax Big Oil

Re “California in retreat on social service spending,” Jan. 7

As a social worker, I am appalled that Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat, has put the programs serving the neediest residents on the chopping block, along with proposed cuts in education and healthcare. He said: “I can’t figure out a better way.”

One example of a better way is the Rescue Education California initiative that would tax Big Oil, which is awash in profits, to finance the educational needs of the state. California is the only major oil-and-gas-producing state with no severance tax, thereby forgoing more than $3.5 billion annually from this source alone.

It is time for all politicians, especially Democrats, to stop balancing the budget on the backs of students and at-risk populations.

Gene Rothman

Culver City

Just beautiful

Re “Two lesbians a first at Miss California,” Jan. 7

As an openly heterosexual, I am pleased to learn that Jenelle Hutcherson and Mollie Thomas, who are openly gay, competed in the Miss California USA contest.

And to think that it took only 60 years.

I congratulate those in charge of the pageant. Though they have not openly declared their various sexual orientations in The Times, they have at least recognized that the XX chromosome means female no matter who carries it.

Marsha Miller

Westwood

Get the picture?

Re “Kodak’s digital dilemma,” Editorial, Jan. 8

Kodak thought it was in the film business and learned too late it was in the photography business.

Likewise, record labels, studios and TV producers had better understand that they are in the entertainment business.

Richard Hannon

Rochester, N.Y.