ATM fees are fair and reasonable

Lately I have read and heard from several politicians andadvocacy groups that ATM charges are "ripping consumers off." Theycontinue to ask, "Why should it cost so much to access our ownmoney?"

That, in a nutshell, is the major flaw in the argument. Themain premise is wrong. It's not their own money they are accessing.The money they are getting out of the machine belongs to the ATMprovider, not to the customer! The customers' money is sittingsafely in their own bank where they left it, and it's usually earninginterest.

On the other hand, for offering the convenience of getting moneyinto the hands of the consumer whenever they feel like it, the ATMprovider has myriad expenses.The most obvious expense is the cost of owning the ATMequipment. Other charges include armored car transportation of theprovider's money to the ATM site. Then there's the loss of interestas the cash sits idly in the machine waiting for the customer todecide when, where and how much money they want.How about insurance on that money sitting in a remote vault? Orthe liability, fire and theft insurance required in case the provideris sued or the machine is damaged? There are machine maintenancecosts, communication and electrical charges, and in some cases,location lease expenses.All of these costs to the ATM provider must and should becharged to those who desire the convenience of getting cash virtuallyanytime and anywhere they want. It's a small price to pay and onethat can easily be avoided. All the consumer has to do is go back tothe bank where they put their money and withdraw it free of charge.Or is it free? Is the consumer's time and transportation to thebank, and the risk of carrying a large sum of money, really free?Should we try to legislate those costs as well, or should we let thecustomer decide what's best for their own needs?Mel J. Thillens, vice president,Thillens Service Corp,Irving ParkOntiveros on the ballI have reported and written on domestic violence among athletesfor more than three years. I have filled 16 pages of SportsIllustrated with what I thought was good work on a tough issue. Istill think it was good work, but the best work I have seen anywhereon this issue was Sue Ontiveros' column (March 28).In 12 paragraphs, she accomplished more than I did in 16 pages.Her description of the removal of the White Sox stained glass fromher sun room and the connection she made between the Jonesborotragedy and the signing of Wil Cordero are the kind of things we injournalism must be doing.A number of sportswriters all over the nation swung and missedon the Cordero signing. Ontiveros hit a home run.Lester Munson,associate editor,Sports IllustratedHistoric reminderIn his March 27 letter, Raeed Tayeh supports the idea thatIsrael should relinquish more land for peace, and that it is PrimeMinister Benjamin Netanyahu's fault that the Israeli-Palestinianproblem has not yet been resolved.Tayeh's memory is conveniently short. He forgets that day in1948 when unarmed men, women and children poured into the streets ofIsrael, dancing and singing, to celebrate the creation of their newstate, and millions of Arabs pounced upon them with brutal force,massacring them for the only sin of having been granted a homeland.Tayeh forgets all the other times when millions of Arabs fromnear and far, again and again brutally attacked innocent men, womenand children for no reason at all, with no provocation, aiming atcompletely obliterating Israel from the Middle East.He forgets how still today Yasser Arafat has not removed fromthe Palestinian Charter the pledge to destroy Israel.When there is a reality of Israel being brutally attacked bytheir neighbors time after time, for no reason at all, it is amazingthat anybody can forward the notion that the Palestinian problem isNetanyahu's fault. It is amazing that after what Israel's enemiesdid to the people of Israel time and time again, for no reason atall, Netanyahu can be blamed for considering Israel's security first!Margarita Matlis, EvanstonConfused prioritiesThe announcement by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicagothat it is closing five schools in June (news story, March 20) is asad commentary on our priorities as a nation. As Cardinal FrancisGeorge, who made the decisions based on recommendations, said, "Theway we choose to fund our schools in this country is unfair andunjust," renewing his call for vouchers that could be used bystudents in private schools.On the same day as the announcement, U.S. Senate Democratsblocked a Republican effort to move ahead with a plan to allowexpansion of education IRAs, originally created for college savings,so they could be used for expenses in kindergarten through 12th gradein any public, private or religious school. Senate Majority LeaderTrent Lott (R-Mass.) accused Democrats of "standing at theschoolhouse door barring the way for a quality education for thechildren who quite often need it the most."Daniel John Sobieski,Garfield RidgeGroundbreakingGreat news for a change - "Sun-Times breaks ground for $100 mil.printing plant" (news story, March 28).Two institutions synonymous with Chicago's secure future: MayorDaley and the Chicago Sun-Times. Dignity and commitment personified!Toni Strzempa,Archer HeightsDoctors still decideArianna Huffington's column (March 22) on drug switchingcontains several inaccuracies and misleading statements about PCSHealth Systems and our programs. As the nation's leadingpharmaceutical care management company, PCS uses its information andclinical expertise, first and foremost, to help health plans protectpatient access to quality, affordable pharmaceutical care. We offerthese facts:As a researcher who works for Huffington was informed prior topublication of the column, PCS developed, printed and distributednationally its 1994-95 formulary almost a year before Lilly acquiredPCS. There is no relationship, as Huffington implies, between'sLilly's acquisition of PCS and the information contained in our1994-95 formulary.All PCS formularies are reviewed and approved by independent panelsof physicians who evaluate drugs based on objective clinical andeconomic criteria. The physicians are not employees of PCS, nor dothey have any financial interest in PCS or Lilly.Physicians always make the final decision about what medicationtheir patients receive. PCS provides physician with current,objective information about best practices in pharmaceutical care,and we never penalize or pay physicians for prescribing one productover another. Moreover, in our program that includes a drugsubstitution component, patients may choose not to change to apreferred drug and still receive coverage for their medication.Marsha C. Moore, M.D.,chief medical officerand senior vice president,PCS Health Systems,Scottsdale, Ariz.Chuck the directoryI am writing in response to (Midweek Escapes column, March 25)"Take fitness regiment with you on the road." I am an A.C.E.certified personal trainer and hold a B.S. degree in physicaleducation (corporate fitness and cardiac rehab).Please tell people not to stack telephone books for a stepworkout. That is so dangerous: what a great way to break an ankle orget an injury to the back, knees, etc. The spine on telephone booksis not sturdy enough.Just do the same workout on the floor please! You can increasethe intensity by making larger, stronger leg and arm movements.Stephanie Smid, ElmhurstExpert adviceAs a substance abuse prevention educator, I feel it is necessaryto comment on your excellent editorial (March 25) regarding the DARE(Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program.Meaningful drug curricula need to be a part of contemporaryeducation and should be provided by those qualified to do it.After all, I do not go into schools to discuss law enforcement.Joseph Dillman,R.Ph., A.A.C.P., F.A.S.C.P.,Drug Help, Vernon HillsScreen violence If you want to know one of the reasons two youngkids hid in the woods and shot at all their classmates, after somekid pulled the fire alarm, just think about all the computer gameswhere the kids are heroes if they kill all their opponents on thescreen.Sophia Baukert, BrookfieldTarget the ownerIf a gun owner was arrested as an accessory when his gun is usedto commit a crime, the gun owner himself would call 911 if anyone somuch as touched one of his guns.David L. Crowder, Chatham