Your column "Finding What Works" (September 12) gave me a laugh.

I live in Rochester six months a year and have developed a less parochial attitude than the writers at City. You mention people moving back to the city: the city offers a dearth of shopping, high crime, a truly terrible school system, and high taxes. I guess that's for some, but I doubt it's a trend. I have two daughters who live here. I doubt that they have ever been in downtown Rochester. I suppose a new bus station might change that, though.

You treat the notion of lower taxes increasing jobs with disdain; then you acknowledge that manufacturing jobs are leaving. The two are related, since almost all new jobs can be placed anywhere in the country that you can place a computer and a light assembly facility. Smart entrepreneurs would rarely locate their new businesses in the highest taxed locale in the nation. We enjoy a perfect storm of high income taxes, employer mandates, utility taxes, and generally dysfunctional government.

As for safety: I admit that it's a critical problem, but you have failed to define the reason. Our new police chief is a great politician but a lousy policeman. Put yourself in the position of a young cop. You notice that almost anytime you do your job, the reverends start marching and your career is hurt. The population won't talk to you, and to further their political position, your superiors assume you're wrong. You surmise that the best course for you is to simply go through the motions. Our police department is now dedicated to sweeping up after the fact. It's safer by far for the officer's career.

Murray Stahl, Greece