Glad to be getting out of Burbank
After 15 years in Burbank I’ll be moving out the end of September and
not because I don’t love Burbank. o7Au’ contrairef7; Burbank is a
wonderful place to live, except for the scandalous politics here.
I was very politically active for a long time having attended 100
or more City Council and Planning Commission meetings. I was even
considered for airport commissioner more than once.
One thing I learned from my experience was the Burbank City
Council, Planning Commission and City Manager were all too often
unresponsive to the will of the people.
Airport expansion, over-development, unreasonable land usage,
height and building permit variances granted to a chosen few, lavish
taxpayer-expense-paid trips for local politicos to Washington. The
loss of public funds and tax revenues on bad land projects and
back-door tax deals with certain builders/developers, ad infinitum!
Now one of the past council members, Bill Wiggins is considering a
bid for the vacated City Council seat left by Stacey Murphy. This is
outrageous and must not be allowed. Sure Councilman Dave Golonski is
pleased by this -- he and Wiggins voted all too many times in unison,
like birds of a feather.
Unfortunately those votes cast were most always in favor of big
business and future airport growth and not in favor of sustaining
Burbank as a great little community.
When community activists rallied and spoke out, the rules of
decorum at council meetings were changed to shorten community input
and chastise their very constituents, labeling them as nuisances and
quacks.
Wiggins is a big business guy and big business should not be
represented on Burbank City Council or the Bob Hope Airport
commission.
The Burbank Leader has put the usual spin on this story praising
council members for this and that instead of being objective and
reporting the truth.
In closing, if you like hearing jet planes over your head at 6
a.m., if you like the streets crowded, polluted and congested, if you
think Burbank needs more and bigger office buildings, if you believe
big business should rule your life, then vote for Bill Wiggins.
If on the other hand, you care about the sanctity of your
neighborhood and the community at large, then vote for someone who
will represent your interests and not that of big business.
Past experience does not necessarily of itself qualify someone for
anything.
Burbankers please don’t fall for the old catch phrases like “hit
the ground running” or “up to speed” -- just look around you, open
your eyes, smell the fouled air, listen to the noise and see the dust
pollution.
Is this what you really want for the future of Burbank and your
children?
* ROBBY SHAW is a Burbank resident.