From my reading of news reports, half of the UTA board is trying to oust John Pingree because they "think John has been there too long," according to board member Dan Berman, who was appointed by the Salt Lake County Commission and is anti-Pingree.

But wait. Salt Lake County Commissioner Brent Overson, who's anti-Pingree, says, "It's more Pingree's personality than anything. I think that's the core of it. A person in that job ought to be extremely community-oriented."But another UTA board member, Richard Kuchinsky, who was appointed by the Salt Lake County Commission and is anti-Pingree, says, "Pingree's a nice guy, a likable guy and he's done a lot of good."

In essence, they're ruining a person's career because he's been at a job too long; his personality should improve; and he's a nice guy, a likable guy.

What sense does that make? Surely someone ought to put a stop to this lynching mentality that's been brewing behind the bus barns at UTA.

Gov. Leavitt, we know you're usually silent on politically hot issues, but, please, for the sake of sanity, can you not breathe some of your good common sense to the Salt Lake County commissioners and encourage them to back off and arbitrate this through a sensible method? This has gone completely crazy, and our national award-winning bus company is showing the country that they're run by a bunch of buffoons.

David Richards

Salt Lake City

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