Gov. Brown’s budget veto; ‘gay girl’ hoax; Villaraigosa on teaching

Gov.’s budget stand

Re “Brown veto dismays Democrats,” June 17

I want to publicly thank Gov. Jerry Brown for vetoing the sham budget adopted by the Democratic majority in the state Legislature. I also want to acknowledge the minority party’s complicity in the budget stalemate.

California has been living in a financial house of cards for decades. We need to build a new house on a firm and sustainable foundation.

The state’s budget crisis can be solved with both spending cuts and revenue increases. The choice is not one or the other. I call on our elected representatives, of every political persuasion, to work toward achieving a sustainable financial future.

Nancy I. Day

Los Angeles

It is easy to understand why members of the Legislature might be upset with Brown for vetoing their latest piece of creative writing, or as they call it, the budget. After all, the governor is a politician, and they are politicians, so they had no expectation that Brown meant it when he said he would veto a smoke-and-mirrors, gimmick-laden budget if that is what they sent him.

I found it annoying and amusing at the same time that the Assembly speaker blamed the governor for not getting the Republican votes needed to pass an honest budget. Last time I checked, the governor is not a member of the Legislature; it is the speaker who is in charge of the lower house. The governor is in the mix, no doubt, but the speaker is evading his responsibility in this

matter.

Gary R. Levine

West Hills

Jerry “Moonbeam” Brown: the real governator. Who would have thought?

Chris Ungar

Los Osos, Calif.

Lessons of the ‘Gay Girl’ hoax

Re “Taken in by ‘Gay Girl,’ ” Opinion, June 14

Even Jonah Goldberg must admit it is quite amusing to see how far the “Gay Girl in Damascus” got in today’s society. This Amina Abdalla Arraf hit the hearts of Americans and caught our government’s attention.

Amazing! It looks as if all you need to be widely known is a social networking account, some pictures of a very attractive person, some writing skills and a zealous attitude.

A gay woman in Syria? Whatever happened to Batman and Superman? Today’s fictional heroes aren’t the same as they used to be.

Cassie Hernandez

Whittier

Foolishly, I too got taken in by the compassionate calls to care about Amina, who turned out to be nothing but a sock puppet for a misguided writer.

However, I do not believe that this well publicized blogosphere incident should be used as an opportunity to discredit and dismiss the Palestinian refugees’ very real right to return to original homes and lands, a cause Goldberg points out this “Amina” supported.

United Nations Resolution 194 from 1948, clearly affirming the Palestinian refugees’ right to return, is not a figment of anyone’s imagination. The photographic records and documents following the plight of the Palestinians for the past 60-plus years are about very real, oppressed, impoverished and displaced men, women and children.

Anne Selden Annab

Mechanicsburg, Pa.

Lifeguard pensions

Re “Lifeguards caught in a pension storm,” June 16

Newport Beach has made a huge investment in its lifeguard service for the simple reason that the city’s beach is one of the toughest places to lifeguard in California.

Newport’s beaches are its greatest asset; its lifeguard service is its guardian. It has earned a reputation as one of the best open-water lifesaving agencies in the country.

What is more honorable and valuable than being entrusted with the safety of the public as they recreate in a hostile environment?

Mike Brousard

San Clemente

We can all respect lifeguards for rescuing swimmers and keeping order. But as a retired service member, I was affronted

by the claim that performance of duty and exposure to skin cancer justified six-figure salaries and retirement at 90% of

salary.

In today’s armed forces, someone would have to reach the rank of full colonel to earn more than $100,000, and most would have served in combat to reach that level. Retirement is at 75% of salary after 30 years of service.

A better comparison would be an E-7 (a high-ranking enlisted officer) with 20 years of service, who could retire at about $37,000. Let’s have a little perspective.

Lisalee Anne Wells

Los Angeles

The writer is a retired Judge Advocate General in the U.S. Navy.

Improving education

Re “The teaching fix,” Opinion, June 16

While Antonio Villaraigosa cites more rigorous teacher evaluations, tougher requirements for tenure and ending seniority as we know it as “fixes” for the Los Angeles Unified School District, he puts teacher compensation at the very bottom of his wish list, backing “sensible formulas that put more dollars where they belong — in the classroom.”

We teachers want reform too, perhaps more than anyone. What we don’t want is someone else’s definition of our “effectiveness,” more hurdles to a fair paycheck and for our careers to be at the mercy of people who have never taught — people like Villaraigosa.

And people wonder why teacher training programs are like ghost towns these days.

Richard Mandl

Canoga Park

The mayor writes, “Every child in every school in every neighborhood must have an effective teacher.” What he should say is that every child deserves to have the full support and encouragement of their parents when it comes to their education.

Here is a theory of mine. If every parent went to open house and back-to-school night, every child would understand how important it was to get the best education possible.

Instead of trying to make good teachers great teachers, we should help parents work with their children when it comes to schoolwork.

Benny Wasserman

La Palma

Notwithstanding my admiration and support of Villaraigosa, I take issue with his contention that “we must make excellent teaching a top priority.” Excellent teaching is important, but the top priority should be to educate, train, encourage and reward the “top dog” in any school: the principal.

As a father of four, one of whom is a teacher, I have seen the difference a top-notch principal makes on the educational progress within a school. After all, a successful business is largely the result of strong management skills at the top.

Michael Risman

Santa Monica

Judging leaders

Re “Weiner makes his exit, but door may be open,” June 17

America, grow up. Infidelity among our elected officials goes all the way back to our founding fathers. Thomas Jefferson was not very nice to slaves despite fathering children with them, but he was still a great statesman and president.

It is unrealistic and childish to expect our elected officials to be heroes. Very few wonderful husbands and fathers would put their families through the hell of political life in the first place.

We are in a very dark hour nationally, and we cannot afford to whittle down the pool of effective, prospective leaders to the handful who might also manage to be excellent family men.

Douglas Delgado

Los Angeles

Rate hike or tax?

Re “Utility asks for increase in rates,” June 15

As a property owner in the city of Los Angeles, please explain to me why the Department of Water and Power should be allowed to hike rates while it has surplus ratepayer money to transfer to L.A.’s general fund.

And how would this rate increase differ from a tax increase if, bottom line, it goes to the general fund?

C. Martin Vincent

Rancho Palos Verdes