Housing Panel Chief

I sprayed my bagel across the dining table this morning in laughter over the article “Council in Standoff Over Housing Commission Chief,”(May 29). The quote that especially hit my funny bone was the one made by an unnamed source in the mayor’s office, who reported that part of the reason for Mayor Maureen O’Connor’s unhappiness with San Diego Housing Commission’s Executive Director Evan Becker was because of “Becker’s perceived rudeness to O’Connor.”

That’s a ripe one. I had the unfortunate honor of watching a City Council meeting the other evening on TV, and was flabbergasted to see our mayor in action. She constantly rolled her eyes heavenward, tapped her pen on the desk, fidgeted and fluffed when others were talking. Not just when board members were trying to make a point, but also throughout testimonies presented by residents of San Diego, the very people she is supposed to represent.

And as to Evan Becker, it’s a sad state of affairs when the city’s mayor appears to have a personal vendetta against a person who has done so much good for San Diego. Becker has fought long and hard for the right to provide low-cost housing for low-income people.

The city would be hard pressed to find a replacement as qualified and dedicated as Mr. Becker. Mayor Mo’s motivation to oust Evan Becker is unclear at best. He has performed his duties scrupulously.

JILL STEWART, San Diego