September 12, 2000

Dear Editor,

As a Westside resident of nearly 30 years, I have observed the decline
of the City of Santa Monica from a safe, progressive, people-first
community governed by caring activists to a gang-ridden, stagnant, big
business district as effectively run as the Tower of Babel.

Our best hope to reverse this trend and return Santa Monica back into
the happy village we love is to save Jacob Levy's playhouse. Here is the
local government's opportunity to admit its blundering and cease its
mixed messages. It is a call to arms for those city officials who wish
to put aside their egos and ambitions in an effort to reclaim Santa
Monica on behalf of its most precious segment -- its residents. One
small step for City Hall, one giant leap for family values.

I always thought that those who ran this city would forever rise above
political double-dealing and subversive influences. It's repugnant to
think that an uncharitable neighbor's disgruntled call to her friend the
Mayor could result in the fall of the house of Jacob.

Marilee Bradford
West LA/Santa Monica

September 12, 2000

Dear Editor,

As I read "The City vs Jacob's Treehouse" my heart went out to the entire
family. It appears to me that Dr. Levy went out of his way to not only find
out just what was needed from the City for approval but went much farther.
He did the noble thing, getting the input form his neighbors to ensure that
his plans to enrich his son's life were not going to have negative impact on
the people directly adjacent to his home.

Dr. Levy, it appears, received mixed messages indeed from the city. The $11,000.00 cost of this tree house, I am certain, reflects the additional costs of complying with the City's changing demands. No where in the article did I see what Dr. Levy is expected to further pony up just to have what the City has already officially approved once before.

In my consulting firm I work with dozens of ".com" companies looking to relocate in Southern California and more often than not Santa Monica is the city of first choice. However, capricious decision making by elected or appointed officials and unclear zoning laws which this situation point out would make recommendations for setting up businesses or relocating families in Santa Monica not an option.

Vincent DeStefano

August 28, 2000

Dear Editor,

I just watched a panel discussing a proposed change in Santa Monica's Charter by way of a deceptive proposition designed to take away the authority of all future Santa Monica City Councils to address wage issues in Santa Monica. Every other city council in California will continue to have its authority. Only Santa Monica's council would lose it.

Yes, that's what the deceptive "living wage" proposition is all about. It should be called the "Tie the hands of the City Council" proposition.

Major corporations invested over $400,000 to qualify their initiative by telling voters its passage would result in higher wages for minimum wage earners throughout Santa Monica. This of course is not true for the initiative would only benefit a few workers employed by city contractors.

Once again big money tries to fool the public. And once again a vote in favor of this proposition is really a vote against the very thing it pretends to support. So I urge all to vote "NO" on this very deceptive proposition now titled Prop KK.

Betty S. Mueller
Santa Monica