Our Readers Write: Officials don't work in public's interest

Great idea! That's what LCF City Council members said of the L.A. County Energy Program as they adopted a resolution joining and supporting that program.

Never mind that the loans offered are incompatible with the terms of most mortgages.

Don't even consider the implications of borrowing against property in the midst of a deep recession brought on by a mortgage meltdown — or that foreclosure rates are as high as they have ever been. Perhaps one might ask where debt-ridden L.A. County is going to get a billion dollars to fund this program or the wisdom of their entry into the home-equity loan business. Note also that L.A. County quietly diverts all carbon credits from this program to its own use.

Fiscally irresponsible federal, state and local officials are bankrupting every government entity—including LCF. It comes as no surprise that current LCF budget hearings are being held in such a way as to effectively eliminate all public scrutiny or input and that the LCF City Council refused to open city goals, objectives and tasks to a proper public hearing.

At some point people will realize that government no longer acts at their direction or in their best interests, government being concerned only to creatively finance the plans, programs and ambitions of its top officials.

JAMES STOKER

La Cañada Flintridge

Grad's 'no walk' status was awful

My son Josh Hanson from the class of 2010 was given a "No Walk" decision by La Cañada High School because of his absences (whether they were excused or not). We fought hard to get the ruling overturned because of the unfairness of their decision making.

Assist. Principal Joanne Davidson said there were 75 kids on the No Walk list. It was whittled down to less than 10. We hired an attorney to represent us and three other kids. With another "panel" meeting one more senior was able to walk. We were thrilled by his victory.

Our family, including Josh's grandmothers (one 81 and the other traveled from Texas), aunt and sister who also came from out of town came to support Josh at a ceremony he had to watch from the bleachers.