During the City Council meeting to discuss city worker layoffs,
I was quite taken by Brad Pike’s statement,
”
Tonight, the spirit of this community is dying.
”
Disturbing coming from such a prominent citizen, as he only
shows the lack of any economic understanding. Pike’s attitude
towards the city’s financial woes is representative of past and
present city councils.
During the City Council meeting to discuss city worker layoffs, I was quite taken by Brad Pike’s statement, “Tonight, the spirit of this community is dying.” Disturbing coming from such a prominent citizen, as he only shows the lack of any economic understanding. Pike’s attitude towards the city’s financial woes is representative of past and present city councils.
In the real world, if a business is doing badly, they have to lay off employees. Unlike a government entity, a business cannot raise taxes for their economic problems.
Past city manager George Lewis ran the city and was instrumental in bringing the city to this near financial collapse.
There are two ways to ease the city’s financial problems in regards to city employees. One, lay off city employees as required. Two, increase taxes to keep city employees as the SEIU leadership suggests. I would like to see the reaction of the community, which has had a number of citizens lose jobs and homes over the last two years, should a proposition be put on the ballot to raise taxes. Hell, through federal, state and local governments, we are overtaxed now.
So Brad Pike, it’s not the spirit of the community that is dying, it’s the community that’s dying from the financial burden put on us by careless city government planning.
Paul Grannis,
Hollister
