Monument for Los Angeles

I was really surprised when I found out that the city of Los Angeles had decided to spend $40 million on a “welcoming” monument (Metro, Aug. 17). I have to agree with the West Coast Gateway Committee that the last thing we needed downtown was a big bird, a four-block-long dollar bill or a gigantic baseball glove. As a matter of fact, I am hard pressed to think why we really need to spend $40 million on a welcoming monument. That amount of money should be used on projects that really count. L.A. could be more humane and livable if we spend the money on unclogging the freeways, cleaning the environment, helping the homeless, and upgrading the school system. If the city needs a welcoming symbol, let it be the people living in Los Angeles and not a cold multimillion-dollar concrete symbol.

JOSEPH PAYARES

Wilmington