Nov. 11, 1999

Dear Editor,

The majority of the country always gets a good laugh out of California, but this is this best one in recent years. You're just a group of short-ighted socialists.

Granted, you have made some great progress in both employee and consumer rights, which I whole heartily support. But the ATM issue is a joke that has all of the business community and most of the country enjoying a joke at the expense of your credibility.

You are trying, and I laugh at your attempts, to regulate freedom of choice! If a consumer cannot plan his or her own cash requirements then he or she should be prepared to pay the price.

ATM's are a service, that banks provide to make a profit. The bottom line is, that if you want a service you have to pay for it, and a free market economy determines the cost of the service. What you are expressing by this legislation is that the citizens of California, and in particular Santa Monica, are so "dumb" that they have to be "protected" by the state because they don't know now to manage their money.

Get a grip, the market will determine what happens.

John S. Sedlak

Nov. 10, 1999

Hey, Lookout...get a life! Don't read too much into this Council member's attendence or lack of attendance at events (SM Confidential re: event for State Sen. Tom Hayden).

Councilmembers have lives and a range of responsibilities (work for a living, family responsibilities) besides our City Council roles. It's a balancing act, and sometimes scheduling conflicts arise.

Don't read too much into non-attendance at a weekday event the evening after a full City Council night and a full day of work--and before another full day of work!

Pam O'Connor
Mayor

Nov. 10, 1999

To whom it may concern:

Your article stated that the board unanimously voted for air conditioning at three school sites in the district. If you check the records you will find that I opposed the recommendation. It is correct
that the majority of the board voted in favor. While I understand your interest in writing this article was probably more for the humor, accuracy is still important.

Julia Brownley
School Board Member

Nov. 2, 1999

Dear Editor,

I am writing this letter to let you know of the excellent response our neighborhood recently received form the City of Santa Monica.

We were concerned about the intersection at Lincoln and Idaho. The corner had a two-way stop sign arrangement and we felt it warranted a four-way stop..

We collected signatures from concerned residents, businesses and schools and forwarded them to the Transportation Management Division. We then met with Lucy Dyke, Transportation Planning Manager and expressed our concerns. Ms. Dyke arranged for a study of the intersection and it was determined that the corner needed the additional stop signs. The signs were installed shortly thereafter and I have heard many positive comments from drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists.

We are very appreciative to the city for their help in creating safer streets in Santa Monica.

Best Regards,
Warren Malfer

Oct. 26, 1999

Dear Editor,

You are doing good. I was away for 10 days and your reporting of what's going on here in Santa Monica is the most comperhensive reporting.

Thanks
Bruria Finkel
Rent Control Board Commissioner

Oct. 19, 1999

Dear Editor,

I take every chance I can get to log on and read the Lookout.

However, you confused me today! The dateline says "Tuesday, October 18, 1999" instead of Tuesday, October 19, 1999!

Thank you for helping to keep us informed.

Oct. 15, 1999

Dear people,

Your last letter to the Editor is dated Sept. 2. Is this just because you are overworked or have there really been no letters worth publishing submitted since then.

Also, a SUGGESTION: Please always include the DATE with the body of each letter to the
editor. That is good editing policy.

Cheers,
Dennis

Oct. 11, 1999

Dear Editor,

We feel it would be appropriate to carve an exception for local banks by permitting locally owned banks to levy an ATM surcharge on transactions conducted on cards owned by non-local banks.

How many banks are local to Santa Monica? Two? They deserve an exception.

This will make both local banks and residents happy. Local banks claim they need the surcharge revenue, so they would get that. Local residents would only have to pay surcharges at those few ATMs owned by local banks and only then if they did not have an account with a local bank.

The result will be to encourage local residents to have accounts at local banks, reducing the export of money from the city to large conglomerates.

Sincerely,
Dennis Allard and Susanna Reza
Ocean Park, Santa Monica