Council should assist residents, not airport parking...

Council should assist residents, not airport parking

The 2% transient-parking tax increase was projected to bring in

more than $300,000 to help offset our budget shortfalls. In rejecting

this tax, the council plans to replace the $300,000 by taking it from

reserves built from the city’s utility-use revenues. So, in effect,

the council has decided to take money from the citizens of Burbank

and give it to all the people who park at the airport, the vast

majority of whom don’t even live in Burbank.

The excuse given for this decision by the council is that the

economic climate due to the price wars at the parking lots around the

airport make this a bad time to increase the tax.

Let’s look at what the proposed 2% tax increase would have cost

the airport user. Twenty four-hour-parking rates range from $5 to

$18. A 2% tax increase would add between 10 and 36 cents to present

rates. Can anyone honestly believe that airport patrons will stop

coming because it is going to cost them an extra 10 cents every 24

hours? I don’t think so.

MOLLY HYMAN

Burbank

Make public-comment period like school boards

I would like to see the City Council public comment period reduced

to one five-minute period like the Burbank Unified School District.

Why three periods? It only gives the “gadflies,” who are not

residents of Burbank for the most part, three opportunities to get up

and insult our hard-working council members. It’s a shame that a few

“rotten apples” spoil the barrel, however, I’m certain that most

speakers can get their points across within the allotted five-minute

period. What a shame that we must be subjected to the diatribe of

these activists week after week.

ELSIE D. JEFFERS

Burbank

Council should limit number of speakers at meetings

The subject of oral discussion by residents before and during

council meetings will be coming up for consideration by the council.

The Brown Act states that residents have the right to speak at

allotted times set by local councils.

It would seem fair to me if two periods of communication were

available for three to five minutes each, but certainly more than one

or two minutes. One period would cover agenda items and one period

would cover general issues related to Burbank. There should be

limitations on the number of speakers who want to express their

views. City business has to be discussed by the council as well as

listening to residents.

However, if an issue like a major development is to be voted on,

then more time for speakers should be allotted.

Some speakers are abusive. This should not be allowed. You can be

passionate and excitable when expressing yourself, but abusiveness of

council or public officials is demeaning and should not be tolerated.

WESLEY GREENE

Burbank

Chamber one of Leadership Burbank founders

The Leadership Burbank program truly appreciates the coverage

recently provided by the Burbank Leader, however, we would like to

make one correction.

The Burbank Chamber, along with the Burbank Unified School

District, the city of Burbank, and Woodbury University, is just one

of the founders of the program.

Leadership Burbank is a broad-based community program designed to

identify, educate, and motivate leaders within the Burbank community.

While it is not a Chamber of Commerce program, we are proud to

support its mission and look forward to our continued participation.

SUSAN BOWERS

Executive director,

Burbank Chamber of Commerce