Letters: Tunnel vision in Beverly Hills

Re “Beverly Hills’ subway spat,” Editorial, Feb. 19

There is widespread support for the Westside subway extension in Beverly Hills. Notwithstanding the tunneling issue, about 65% of the city’s residents voted in favor of Measure R in 2008 as well as its extension on last November’s ballot.

The opposition to tunneling beneath Beverly Hills High School is small but vocal; it has been augmented by misleading and inflammatory articles in the Beverly Hills Courier, whose publisher doesn’t even live in or adjacent to Beverly Hills. In fact, the Courier has given fawning coverage to L.A. County Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich, who has long opposed funding the subway.

As a result of these attacks, Zev Yaroslavsky, Beverly Hills’ county supervisor and a supporter of the subway, attacked the Courier for its yellow journalism at a recent public meeting.

Stephen P. Webb

Beverly Hills

The writer, a former Beverly Hills city councilman, served as the city’s mayor in 2006.

Extending the subway to the Westside is crucial for Los Angeles’ future. It is unfortunate that Beverly Hills has chosen to oppose this necessary project by any means at its disposal.

Perhaps the county should respond similarly by calling for the revocation of Beverly Hills’ incorporation. After all, several upscale areas in the county, including the one in which I live, are not independent entities but part of L.A. We are allowing a small, rich and influential enclave to undermine the larger community. (Pun intended.)

M.T. Gyepes

Pacific Palisades

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