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To the Editor: 

It sure makes me sad to see the public safety communications tower being treated as an esthetics issue (‘City considers felling new communications tower,’ July 26). 

If the tower is so ugly, what about the gas station down the street? Why should we have those billboards with stupid ads up on the roofs of beautiful Berkeley? 

Isn't the McDonalds “chicken fingers” sign ugly? I think so. 

What's especially esthetically offensive to me is all the honking traffic at Shattuck and University. Can’t we move that somewhere else? It's ugly. 

When I look at the tower, I see a communications link, which might use radio to dispatch aid to someone in trouble – might even be me. 

I must be esthetically insensitive. To me, public safety is way more important than appearances. 

Steve Geller 

Berkeley