Raising Funds for Jim Cooper

Ethically, I’m not sure I can solicit funds for a cause, no matter how worthy. But I do think it’s appropriate for me to suggest that others solicit funds for a worthy cause.

A most worthy cause is “Jim Cooper’s Orange County,” that most interesting and stimulating weekly program, hosted on public television station KOCE (Channel 50) by Cooper. According to Chancellor David A. Brownell of Coast Community College District, decreased funding and a redirection of KOCE’s mission to emphasize support of district instructional programs has led to the decision to drop Cooper’s program. This is a disturbing bit of news.

In 1978, after the judicial elections in June, Cooper began televising programs to educate the Orange County public about the law, lawyers, judges and judicial elections. Since that time, his program has covered such Orange County interests as transportation and freeway expansion, the John Wayne Airport expansion program, political races, education, crime and other issues, just as The Times does in print.

To stay on the air, the program needs three grants of $25,000, or $75,000 in total pledges by June 30. With a county of 2 million residents, 4 cents a person would do it. One hundred thousand people would have to put up 75 cents each. Fifty thousand people would contribute $15 per person.

I am suggesting that, somehow, there must be a way to form committees that can solicit funds to be donated to “Jim Cooper, trustee for ‘Jim Cooper’s Orange County,’ ” so that that fine public service program can remain on the air.

ROBERT TODD

Newport Beach

Todd is a Superior Court judge in Orange County .