To the editor: Together with different commissions, Mayor Karen Bass plans to remove the citizen fee centered on well being, of which I’m the president (“Bass proposes laying off about 1,650 city workers, a quarter of them civilians at LAPD,” April 21). No mayor, together with Bass, has ever funded the well being fee — created by a metropolis ordinance in 2014 — a dime. It runs with volunteer commissioners and unpaid analysis associates. In equity to her, two uniformed LAPD officers attend conferences for defense together with one audiovisual tech, one metropolis legal professional and a metropolis clerk staffer, so there could be some minor financial savings. However these pennies are by no means going so as to add as much as $1 billion.
Does the mayor not imagine that being educated and knowledgeable on well being points is essential? There are prices related, in the meantime, together with her public relations efforts. In 2023 she expanded her PR division. Right here’s a suggestion for our photo-op mayor: Do away with most of your PR workers and avoid wasting critical cash. Alternatively, simply resign and save town a wage north of $300,000, plus advantages.
Howard C. Mandel, Los Angeles
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To the editor: Bass’ proposed layoffs of almost 1,650 metropolis employees are regarding as a result of these selections immediately have an effect on the well being of communities. Fewer public employees leads to fewer individuals supporting food-access applications, psychological well being providers, housing sources and different important wants that form long-term well-being.
As a public well being scholar at UC Berkeley, I’ve discovered how financial safety, housing and entry to public providers are social determinants of well being. This finances dangers worsening the prevailing well being disparities in Los Angeles by eradicating the very infrastructure meant to help weak populations.
Well being is just not solely about therapy; it’s also about stopping the circumstances that result in a disaster. After we lower the individuals who maintain these methods collectively, we create the very emergencies we later wrestle to unravel. Balancing the finances mustn’t come at the price of individuals’s well-being.
Easha Narayanan, Granite Bay, Calif.
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To the editor: As a taxpayer, I help a accountable metropolis authorities and its job of managing the budgets. I discover the proposed layoffs to be a disappointing and lazy fiscal transfer. I encourage the federal government to be extra considerate and try imposing extra aggressive fines for autos rushing and operating purple lights and cease indicators, one thing that has benefited different main U.S. cities.
Christopher Sherwood, Woodland Hills
