Mailbag

As it now stands, government politicians depend almost entirely on union support in getting elected as well as being able to accomplish anything while in office. Therefore, they cannot confront the hand that feeds them.

It will be up to voters to change this process.

When voters finally realize they are now electing union political pawns to most government offices, not public-interest politicians, perhaps Molano and others who complain likewise will be able to see the changes they desire.

GENE GUSTAVSON

Glendale

The topic of Glendale’s $100,000-per-year “club” comes up from time to time in the Glendale News-Press. Most recently was a letter from Herbert Molano expressing his loss of trust in government since learning how richly our municipal servants are compensated (“Time to discuss the high salaries of city employees,” Mailbag, Friday).

I am writing this letter with a tip to the readers on a new website called Open Government in Glendale. ( www.opengovernmentinglendale.org)

If your loyal readers will take the time to browse the pages, they will see firsthand the pay schedules used in compensating our appreciated municipal employees.

In fact, last time I viewed the site, the report published was already nearly a year old, and so they are probably making more than what is on the site, but the information may have been updated since then.

Either way, it makes for some interesting reading.

GREG HISCOTT

La Cañada Flintridge

A few months ago, prompted by a notice for fire abatement from the Fire Department, we had our oak and sycamore trees trimmed.

We hired a tree company to do light pruning, and they assured us we did not need a permit for this kind of trimming.

On day three of trimming, someone from the city of Glendale stopped by and told them to stop trimming because we didn’t have a permit. A few weeks later an arborist from the city came out and assessed the damage to the trees. On Oct. 1 we received a fine for $347,600 for trimming our 13 oak and sycamore trees without a permit.

We are among the first residents to be punished under the amended tree ordinance that went into effect in March (“Council revisits ordinance,” March 29), and we think it is insane. We are trying to appeal the fine and are getting the runaround because no one can tell us what the process is.

I have spoken with the urban forester and the Neighborhood Services Department, and neither department can tell us the next step (and we’re not writing a check for $347,600). They won’t even give me a copy of the arborist’s report or a breakdown of how they arrived at this fine.

All I received was a letter of violation demanding I pay the previously mentioned fine. The amount of the fine is ridiculous, and we don’t think the city should be allowed to completely ruin us financially because we didn’t know we needed a permit.

This ordinance gives the Urban Forestry Department way too much power. I live in the United States and should be allowed due process and the right to be treated fairly and reasonably.

ANN COLLARD

Glendale