The case of Muni fare inspectors is a perfect example of local leaders’ inability to think in a businesslike manner. The sheer waste of the inspector program is not a case for an elaborate study or audit — it’s simple business arithmetic.

According to your article (“Muni deployments leave buses vulnerable,” The Examiner, April 30), Muni says that 36 inspectors wrote 21,024 tickets last year. Even figuring with the cost of a full fare (and I’m sure many of the tickets were to youths), 36 inspectors prevented $31,536 worth of fare evasion. I’m guessing, very conservatively, that the cost of 36 salaries with payroll taxes and benefits was at least $1.5 million. So, every dollar of prevented fare-evasion cost Muni at least 47 dollars. Any business on earth would begin slashing this wasteful program, but city leaders want to expand it.

Interestingly, last year the average inspector seems to have written 584 citations, and Muni expects that number to be 442 per inspector this year. So, obviously, the cost-per-unit stands to drastically increase this year. With further expansion, perhaps we can get the cost of a dollar of fare-evasion prevention over $100.

I understand that people have an emotional reaction to fare-evasion. But real solutions need to be based on logic and common sense.

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Ian Hadley

San Francisco

Tree maintenance in parks

The term “public safety” should not be limited solely to police and fire protection. San Francisco’s leaders must recognize the urgent need for keeping park trees in a safe condition and allocate funds now to do the work.

The Recreation and Park Department has not adequately addressed the issue of tree maintenance in either their operations budget for more staff to do preventative care, or in their capital budget to provide adequate quarters and equipment for the workers. Instead, RPD prioritizes hiring middle-management planners over tree-care staff.

Since the 2003 Stern Grove tree report clearly identifies specific trees as having “limbs that tend to break” and shows where the danger to the public exists, it only makes sense to heed these warnings now.

We just have to insist that RPD spend its funds wisely and protect the innocent people who merely want to use the park.

As for Mr. Haines’ “optimism that the accident won’t deter 100,000 from turning out,” (“Killer tree was flagged as danger,” The Examiner, April 30) he — along with RPD — should be more worried about safeguarding the health of every one of those 100,000 visitors before the concert season starts.

Nancy Wuerfel

San Francisco

Proposition F needs to pass

Leave it to Chris Daly to circumvent another great plan for San Francisco.

Albeit growth in affordable housing is very important in San Francisco, the Proposition F ballot measure will once again muck up the waters for crucial fast-forward progress in building a new arena for events in the former Hunters Point Naval Shipyard.

I addressed the issue of hosting the Latin Grammy Awards in San Francisco with local Grammy officiate Merle Saunders. Unfortunately, New York, Miami and Las Vegas are the “go-to cities” for this venue. Bottom line, we do not have a large enough arena to host such an event.

This plan must pass in June on the ballot, if San Francisco would like to remain a viable city of entertainment and growth.

Carole Kealy

San Francisco

Support Proposition 99

While I agree with Mr. Hoffman regarding how bad Proposition 98 would be for renters and the state, I have to point out one inaccuracy in his letter.

Both Prop. 98 and its opponent — a far better alternative, Prop. 99 — will be on the June ballot, not the November ballot.

Also, both former Gov. Pete Wilson and current Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger have come out against Prop. 98.

I hope voters will go to the polls in June and vote no on 98 and yes on 99.

Stephen Dorian Miner

San Francisco

Defending Scalia

Jay Ambrose and his typical right-wing defense of Justice Antonin Scalia’s interpretation of the Constitution is laughable. Scalia’s leadership during the Supreme Court deliberations resulting in their Bush vs. Gore decision stood that worthy document on it’s head. They illegally and unconstitutionally gave the presidency to Bush.

Remember, also, that Scalia’s sons were working on Bush’s legal team at the time and he was required to recuse himself from those deliberation. He did not, and many legal minds agree that he should have been impeached over that entire debacle.

Al Dockus

San Francisco

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