Mailbag

Red tape is killing Burbank businesses

I have covered the restaurant industry as a writer and consultant since 1980 and would encourage the Burbank City Council to do everything in their power to eliminate the rules, laws and just plain lack of common sense that hampers independent restaurants from prospering (“Lack of seating irks eateries,” May 9).

Independent operators like Healthy Bites are vital to the local community, not only in jobs, but also in services. Forget wasting everybody’s money doing additional “studies” or demanding that struggling businesses pay hefty variance fees. Just do what it takes — today — to be business-friendly.

Otherwise, you’ll soon find that Burbank doesn’t have any businesses — or customers!

DEE LONG

Burbank

Airport must learn to cope with cash drop

The airport’s job is to accommodate passenger demand, not to try to increase it (“Passenger numbers falling,” May 9).

Our department of water and power advocates conservation, even though that causes its revenue to go down.

We certainly don’t encourage people to drive more in order to keep our gas tax revenues up!

The airport needs to suck it up and learn to live with lower revenues.

BUD OVROM

Burbank

Compromise needed in teacher layoffs

Which school teachers are going to get axed? What a mish-mash: You’re threatened with a layoff, then officials change their minds (“District to lay off 34 teachers,” May 9).

They bounce the idea around for a while and decide otherwise. If you have seniority, you have it made. You have protection even if you’ve lost the motivation for the job.

A teacher with less experience, but better qualified, will not have the protection of seniority.

Unless there is a compromise made in this area, there’s going to be constant conflict.

Qualified teachers are a necessity for a good student education.

WESLEY GREENE

Burbank