Handguns

EDITOR: In recent months much of the American press and television community has chosen to accentuate and dramatize the increasing purchase of handguns by Americans who previously would not have considered such an action. I believe this has often been irresponsible reporting which capitalizes on and increases fear. This in turn contributes to the spiraling death and injury as more guns are added to the national stockpile.

Congratulations to Illinois Issues! Your approach was a comprehensive and thoughtful analysis of the handgun control question (Gun Control: moving to the home front, Augusl 1981).

As the number of our Illinois members increases, more and more towns and regions are forming active Chapters for handgun control. Citizens who are interested in working to strengthen controls can become actively involved by contacting our organization at 109 N. Dearborn, Chicago, Illinois 60602.

Katherine Zartman
President
Committee for Handgun Control

Regional Transportation Authority

EDITOR: I am disappointed that your Mr. McManus has not provided more insight into the RTA problem. As with the politicians who created RTA, he laments the dilemma of the shortfall of revenue to meet expenditures but speaks only to the prospects for increasing revenues. Why does no one examine the other half of the issue?

I lack detailed knowledge, special competence, or direct interest, but my gut says cost controls and other management efforts can do more than all manner of revenue initiatives. I suspect that others may have the same concern.

Indicative of the potential for better management are: 1) the empty buses I see coursing the suburbs and outlying Chicago streets; 2) frequent news-media reference to RTA area driver salaries as among the highest in the U.S., inefficient property management policies, and excessive and duplicative supervisory staffing; 3) the absence of any oversight activity by the legislature to force an accounting of top management performance; 4) the loss since the fare increase of about 30 percent I see in ridership on my commuter train.

How about a follow-up article?

Richard E. Aten
Glenview

Ed McManus will discuss the issues raised by Richard Aten in a future column — Editor.

32 | November 1981 | Illinois Issues