I enjoyed your article about the gifts given to Baltimore's elected officials by people the city does business with ("Tickets and city ethics law," Feb. 12).

Here's my question: How is it not raising major red flags that the city's second most powerful elected official conducts himself in this manner?

City Council PresidentBernard C. "Jack" Youngobviously knows what the rules are. He's been in the game long enough. Yet "oral approval" and "cash" (with no receipt) are obvious causes for concern in terms of the excuses and explanations he has provided.

Is this the norm now? Are the citizens of Baltimore, the mayor and the City Council all supposed to just look the other way?

I was a city resident for 23 years. I'm not a resident any more, but obviously what goes on in the area's major metropolitan city has an impact on the surrounding counties. The feeling I take away from reading your article is that the city's electorate just doesn't care. Nor do the elected officials who swear to uphold the law, then feign ignorance when the facts come out.

Mr. Young's dealings were shady even before this latest information came to light. Where does he really live, and what kinds of favors has he provided his family through abuses of his official powers? To think that he is a heartbeat away from running this town would keep me up at night if I were still a city resident. Why are the citizens of Baltimore not losing any sleep?

Tom, White Marsh