Time to change the way things are done here
Jesse L. Byers
So here we are with a vacant council seat. Another chance to do the
right thing. We were faced with this a few months back and the
majority of people in this city chose to reelect the sitting council
members. And where are we? Sadly, just more of the same. And yes, if
we reelect Bill Wiggins, we’ll get more of the same (“Former mayor in
bid for seat,” Sept. 10). Again.
This is a chance for the citizens to make a difference. One more
chance to do the right thing. Burbank is headed down a bad road and
unless we as citizens do something now, right now, it’s only going to
get worse.
If you think I’m wrong, look around the town we live in. What do
you see?
Yeah, we’ve got new the Empire Center; it looks great, nice big
stores and an open parking lot. But have you tired getting to it? Or
getting out of it?
And yeah, we’ve got new businesses popping all over San Fernando
Boulevard. They’re colorful and trendy. But did you know your tax
dollars are funding a majority of these stores?
Oh, and don’t forget the stores that aren’t being opened on San
Fernando.
Did you know your tax dollars are being used to keep businesses
from opening there?
Tried to drive through our streets lately? Easy for you? What
about Burbank Boulevard? That’s fun, isn’t it?
Oh, and we’re getting great new things like the Platt Project. Oh
yeah, that isn’t even close to being built yet. But that’s probably a
good thing since it’s going make that traffic worse.
And yeah, there’s an odd thing our City Council has done for us,
huh? How about all those new condos and apartment buildings going up
all over town, those nice giant complexes in downtown and other
locations? Houses being torn down, streets being bulldozed, traffic
being made worse. All in the name of condos -- overpriced condos at
that. They claim some of them are low-cost for low income folks. But
their standard for low income seems to be people that afford $50,000
for a one-bedroom condo.
The fact is that this town is suffering. It’s hurting. It’s dying.
And it’s dying because we’ve been stuck with a council that doesn’t
listen to the citizens, doesn’t care what they think or say or feel.
They haven’t done anything -- not one single thing -- in years that
has been a benefit to the citizens who live in this city. Businesses,
corporations, cronies, their pals and the airport are the only
entities they give any thought or consideration to. And that
attitude, that way of thinking and acting, is killing this city and
what I and those I know have always loved about it.
But it’s our chance to save it. This is our chance to breath life
back into our city, to start saving our city and our communities and
the things we love about Burbank. We can reelect Bill Wiggins and get
more of the same and inject a little more poison into Burbank’s veins
or we can get her a transfusion. Some new hope, some new life, some
new blood. David Gordon is that blood, my friends.
Gordon is a good citizen, a good man and will make a good
councilmember. Someone who hears the people and speaks for them.
Elect Gordon and start saving Burbank.
* JESSE L. BYERS is a resident of Burbank.
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