State Bonds OKd to Help Utilities

Re “State Approves Bond Sale to Pay for Power,” Feb. 2: Why are we giving $10 billion to the power companies? Wouldn’t $10 billion be better spent (through subsidies and tax credits) on energy-saving lightbulbs, appliances, air conditioners and machinery for our homes, businesses and industries to solve this crisis, lower our energy bills, make our businesses more competitive and help the environment?

GERALD A. CATERINA

Huntington Beach

* Huh? Taxpayer money is going to be used to buy billions in electricity, and then the taxpayers are going to be charged through the nose to use the electricity they just bought. The Mafia couldn’t come up with a better scheme than that--and get away with it!

ANDY LEVINSON

Thousand Oaks

* Didn’t we bail out Chrysler Corp.? We bailed out Lockheed. What’s more important, electricity or an automobile or airplane?

DON REED

Sun City

* It has become a mantra in Washington that California must solve its own electricity problem. If that means California should reform its failed deregulation scheme, the proposition is self-evident. But if it means that every kilowatt used in California should be generated in the state, the idea is absurd.

Would we argue that California should produce all the coffee it consumes? California exports products ranging from oranges to movies and imports others. What we export and what we import should be determined by costs of production, including environmental costs. It makes no more sense to insist that California must supply all its own power than to insist that each household do so.

DANIEL J.B. MITCHELL

Ho-su Wu Professor

Anderson Graduate School of Management, UCLA

* What do Huntington Beach, South Gate and San Jose have in common? Stupidity! In the midst of our devastating electric crisis they are all fighting either building new or repairing old electric-generating plants. The cities say that plants may cause pollution and are not aesthetically appealing.

Wake up, people. You will drive California back to the dark ages.

JERRY MAZENKO

Garden Grove