On California Assemblyman Gil Cedillo’s bid to restore a pay cut; finding a fairer way to lay off teachers; and taxing Internet sale

Making ends meet

Re “Cedillo fighting Capitol pay cut,” Dec. 8

Assemblyman Gil Cedillo, a Los Angeles Democrat, and some of his colleagues might better use their resources and save the state’s money by recognizing that

his purpose as a legislator is public service, not self-enrichment.

If there is an issue with the ruling reducing legislators’ incomes, let it be dealt with without squandering more funds on legal interpretations.

In the meantime, should he and his fellow public servants find themselves unable to get by on a mere $95,291 a year plus perks, they should talk to someone working full time in retail and find out how to make do on 20% of that amount.

But then, budgeting does seem to be a challenge for our representatives.

Carolyn Arthur

Woodland Hills

In this day of unemployed and underemployed constituents by the tens of thousands, and the state constantly without a budget and facing a huge deficit, how dare Cedillo file a claim against the state to restore six-figure salaries to members of a nonfunctioning body?

I seriously doubt this is what his constituents voted him into office to do. That is about the least honorable thing I’ve heard about a politician lately, and that’s saying something.

As a public servant, his focus should be on pulling this state out of the red.

Corinna Henson

San Juan Capistrano

Let’s see now, recently termed-out state senator and newly elected Assemblyman Cedillo is demanding that his employer, the state of California — a.k.a. the citizens who just gave him a job — have the legislative pay cuts rescinded.

If he did not like the pay-and-benefit package that was offered, why did he want the job in the first place? To layer insult upon insult with this outrageous idea, he filed his claim with the Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board. Now I get it. He feels victimized by being an elected official. Only in California.

Robert Hows

Dana Point

Our teachers deserve better

Re “Judge backs plan on teacher layoffs,” Dec. 9

I find it fairly depressing that after years of underfunding public education in California, we are now spending energy (and probably money) debating the best way to lay off teachers.

Seems to me we should have figured out long ago how to retain teachers and fund schools at something approaching the national average.

How is it that so many states, even before the economy tanked, have managed to spend more money per student and have smaller class sizes? Progressive California? Yeah, right.

Kurt Page

Laguna Niguel

I have been predicting for several years now that LAUSD was overspending and was too top heavy. It is now reaping what it has sown. It’s just too bad that this comes at such a high price — laying off teachers.

Soon there will be a teacher shortage in LAUSD; that is the road it has taken. Those teacher positions will never be filled. Many teachers-to-be have decided that any other school district will be preferable to LAUSD.

Who would want to work for it?

As a former teacher, I encourage young people to seek other districts, if not another profession.

A society begins to disintegrate when its education system is ignored. We must remove bureaucrats and replace them with educators. Their salaries should be no higher than those of the highest-paid teachers.

Richard Sayer

Los Angeles

Mayor should just back off

Re “Villaraigosa takes on the teachers’ union,” Dec. 10

Mayor Villaraigosa: Other than taking away the last shred of security (tenure) from L.A. Unified teachers, what exactly are your “reforms”?

Do you plan to turn the entire district into one giant charter school? Or do you envision poverty-stricken teachers living above their classrooms because a teacher’s salary won’t buy a median-priced home in L.A?

Here is some advice, Mr. Mayor: Clean up the neighborhoods around the schools. Get rid of the gangs, the drugs and the crime, and we’ll take care of the rest.

In spite of layoffs, salary sacrifices, furlough days and overcrowded conditions, we, the teachers, are doing our jobs. We, the teachers, are improving the lives of our students. We, the teachers, are doing what we can to help make this a safer, more cultured and more educated city.

Stop “Waiting for Superman.” Just leave us alone and let us teach.

David Beraru

Woodland Hills

Mine safety lost in the shuffle

Re “ GOP defeats mine safety bill,” Dec. 9

Tucked away inside your paper was the article about how the GOP blocked changes in mine safety regulations developed in response to the April disaster that killed 29 West Virginia coal miners.

What did the GOP call for instead? More study. A less punitive bill. Perhaps a committee or two?

A leopard doesn’t change its spots; the “new” Republican Party recycles the old one. Business as usual.

President Obama should pay more attention to those dead miners and less to shaking the hands of those in Congress who would bite it off.

Phil Brimble

Los Angeles

Where are the online taxes?

Re “California’s gift to e-tailers,” Column, Dec. 9

That money isn’t “lost,” as George Skelton claims.

It can be found in the pockets of every California citizen who shops online. They’re not “robbing a school kid” — what a transparent attempt to defend higher taxes.

The losers are the politicians who get less of Californians’ money to decide how it’s spent, and the winners are those school kids’ parents, who get to keep more of their money and decide how to spend it.

Michael Robertson

San Diego

It’s about time someone noticed the elephant in the room.

Congress talks about tax cuts to help small business with hiring. As a small-business owner, tax cuts are not going to entice me to hire more employees.

What is going to get me to hire is an increase in my business. A playing field where everyone has to charge the same taxes would go a long way toward that goal.

Having Internet sellers pay taxes like every other business in the state would not only bring funds into the state, it would lower unemployment.

It’s time to do the right thing.

Arnie Sperling

Pacific Palisades

Poignant tales from war zones

Re “E-mails from front lines,” Column One, Dec. 6

Jeffrey Fleishman’s story about e-mails from Iraq is as poignant a story as it gets.

Iraq and Afghanistan are sinkholes for the people, for the U.S. military and for their families.

Damiana Chavez

Los Angeles

No easy road to solvency

Re “Getting the red out,” Opinion, Dec. 5

Great article. It puts to rest the pabulum that simple solutions, such as exposing fraud, waste and abuse or downsizing government, will solve the deficit problem.

Meaningful trimming will require both spending cuts and increased taxes. (Sorry, supply-side economists.)

Trimming will require that all Americans share in the pain, not just “the other guys.” This means voters of all political parties, people at all wealth levels, individuals and organized groups, labor unions and corporations, individuals at all age levels, homeowners and renters — you get the idea.

This is a long-term effort in which we continually strive to reach the point of a truly balanced budget, one that does not leave future generations in the lurch because we are too self-absorbed with our own short-term wants.

Don Brundige

San Pedro