Councilman Gary DeLong just sent out an email blasting me for pointing out the cuts proposed by Mayor Foster in the "Mayor's Budget.":
I am flattered by Councilman DeLong's continued fixation with my blog. I believe he has sent several emails to his email list in which my blog or I are the focus; which I have to tell you results in more sign-ups for my blog and e-news.
Seriously, there you go again, Gary, attacking me for telling the truth and for calling the public's attention to the truth.
The budget presented at the press conference last week at which you were not there, showcased the Mayor who claimed that the budget presented to the press was "his." He also confirmed that he had reviewed the City Manager's recommendations and that he (the Mayor) was not changing the City manager's recommendations. Ergo, since the Charter requires the Mayor to present the Mayor's budget to the council, anything contained in what he presented is his. The Mayor is a big boy, Gary. He either stands by the recommended cuts or he doesn't. You don't have to rush to his defense. Honestly, this isn't 8th grade.
The facts remain: the Mayor and City Manager are proposing to cut 27 firefighters, 14 police patrol officers and reduce 3 library branches to "reading room" status. Meanwhile, the City sits on an oil windfall -- some of which management wants to use to build an underground tunnel between the new courthouse and the police station.
Are you saying that you failed to do your job as Chair of the Council Budget Oversight Committee by not recommending deep cuts to public safety cuts in their budgets in past years? You know better, Gary.
The City Council has cut both fire and police to levels too low for a major metropolitan city with an airport, port and hundreds of miles of underground gas and oil lines. I know you are very busy reading my blog, but do you not read the WCL's -- the Police notifications -- of the weekly and sometimes daily "hit shootings" that are occurring mostly in the 1, 2, 6, and 9 council districts? Have you not received briefings from the east side Police commander of the increase in auto thefts and residential burglaries on our side of town?
You are damn right I want the public to understand what cuts are being proposed and to provide their input.
And you can posture all you want attacking me. But your real agenda is going after the police and fire unions. In the words of your favorite politician, George W. Bush: You can fool some of the people all the time, and those are the ones you want to concentrate on.
