Integrity in Question

I take strong exception to Councilman Bill Cleator’s Sept. 29 letter because it fails to illuminate the political health of Councilman Uvaldo Martinez and the body politic of San Diego. Martinez was hand-picked by Cleator to become one of the City Fathers and to ascend to the heights of Mt. Olympus. Now that Martinez is proving that he is mortal, sharing in the vices of all other mortals, he is starting to unravel.

A pervasive political climate prevails in San Diego that permits the City of San Diego’s Councilman Martinez, an elected civil servant, to perceive that the “code of conduct” of office is meant for the regular staff line of civil servants and not for him.

Councilman Martinez is one of the elected officials in San Diego who are royalists who rule on behalf of the developers and bankers, contrary to the interests of the people of San Diego.

This political tragedy is doubly ironic because the majority of the registered voters are politically orphaned, thus becoming apathetic to the political process, thereby creating a political syndrome that permits the minority self-serving royalist wing to remain in power and its leadership to disregard the ethics of good conduct while in office.

While Councilman Martinez holds office in San Diego, he is under fire and investigation because of his questionable personal ethical conduct. Uvaldo Martinez should step aside; he is unable to be an effective council member, unable to vote and lead this city on many issues, as his integrity is in question.

ART SALZBERG

San Diego