Immigrant Funds

Your article (Dec. 23) and editorial (Dec. 24) concerning loss of immigrant funds for California offers little more than simplistic Congress-bashing.

I worked for the House Appropriations Committee for eight years and for the past three I have been on the other side of the process, managing federal affairs for SCRTD and LACTC.

Rep. Edward Roybal (D-Los Angeles) is one of the most effective and respected members of the House. No one in Congress has worked longer and harder on issues affecting our immigrant population. Just this past year, his determination and solid legislative work ensured the first extension of Metro Rail to East Los Angeles, creating jobs and greater mobility for this community and its residents.

Your articles fail to cite the real reason why California received this setback in 1992 funding: the pervasive anti-California bias that has emerged in Congress. While political reporters write about our impending 52-House member delegation as a powerful juggernaut, states losing congressional seats can barely conceal their distaste for funding priorities meeting our needs. The problems of immigrants are also not evenly divided among the 50 states, so many members regard related funding items almost as “special interests,” similar to a water project or bridge.

Your gratuitous comments about Roybal needing to apply “elbow grease” and pay better attention are offensive to me after personally spending the better part of 15 years admiring his hard work, attention to detail and genuine concern for the people of Los Angeles and especially the Latino population that has been denied fair political representation for decades.

BEVAN DUFFY, Los Angeles