By: Diane Benjamin
The citizens elect Aldermen to represent them. We could talk all day about who they really represent, but how can they represent the people when they don’t attend Council meetings?
Last Monday Aldermen Sage and Black were absent. No mention of the empty seats – 2 of 9. The roll was called and the meeting proceeded as if empty seats are no big deal.
Voters will never know if these two would have voted to spend tax dollars – $50,000 per year for 5 years – at the History Museum. We know they voted to raised taxes, would they have handed some of the new stolen money to a private enterprise. Fair?
The Mayor should have announced why they weren’t there, I’m sure he knew.
Citizens deserve better.
I’m not convinced that mayor would know. He doesn’t know he is holding illegal meetings. He doesn’t know he is stealing by eating “business lunches” with other council members who have no business with him except city business, and then charging the city for it. He doesn’t know he has an office which is the proper place to hold ALL business meetings. Unless the other person is paying, and not the taxpayers. No I believe there are a lot of things he doesn’t know.
Have to be careful about buying an elected official lunch because it could be perceived as a bribe. If the Mayor eats out at a restaurant with anyone, each should pay for their own meal. The Mayor receives a salary of $12,000.00/year. He can use that to pay for lunches.
My thought on the matter has to do with all three Council members from the Budget Task Force were not available for the vote or discussion. I would expect them, of all people, to question adding more expenses with one hand while cutting services and raising fees with another. I believe one of the recommendations from the Task Force was to NOT add any new expenses. This is more proof the Task Force is a sham. As Mr. Black said, “the Council doesn’t have the stomach to make cuts.” They don’t have the backbone to say “NO” to additional spending either.
As Mr. Black said, “the Council doesn’t have the stomach to make cuts.” As mudd said, “Mr. Black doesn’t have the stones to do anything except what his master Queen Tari tells him to do. Nor has Mr. Black been a champion of cuts. When I think of Mr. Black I think arrogance, immaturity, and that as a kid he was a spoiled rotten brat.