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Letters: Bogged down council

May 2, 2017 by Editor 1 Comment

Bogged down council

As I watch the City Council meetings, I wonder just what is motivating the mayor and councilmembers. The mayor is showing she has no leadership skills, yet she still gets elected and elected. It appears this fine city has slipped very far left-leaning in the socialist progressive mold.
The council wastes time on the cannabis issue, and they do not know what the state is even going to do on licensing, etc. What happens if you add to the 15 percent excise tax, the sales tax, license fee and an additional tax on top of that? Is the revenue going to force your hand because we are a cash-strapped city? Wait till you have all the info, then make a move. I fear the council will see the cannabis issue as a way out of our financial issues going forward. Bad move.
The Amports issue has the council/mayor all tied up in knots. This issue could go on for a very long time. Just approve the permit and let the Historical Society members or friends sue the city. This has become a big issue with the council/mayor all because a very small group is 20 years late with their personal agenda driven ideals. Who runs this city? Is it the Community Sustainability Commission, Planning Commission, Historical Preservation Review Commission or the council/mayor? It sure does not appear that the council is.
The agenda-driven mayor is taking this city down the wrong road. I loved the mayor’s comment in a recent article about the ethical dilemma of a city being able to reduce greenhouse gases but still permit refineries. Just who does she think she is? Mayor Patterson you do not have the authority to throw Valero out. Your frustration with the present council shows in bright colors of anger. Even your hitched-to-your-wagon new member Steve Young appears not to agree with you on many issues. Mayor Patterson, I must admit you have done a good job of polarizing this city, all along putting this city on a path to financial uncertainty. The stall on the Amports demolition issue is not good for this very fine city. A leader would have had this done and over.
This reminds me of the Crude by Rail issue. A leader would have had the council vote on land use and be over and done with. But no, the Council lead by the mayor let this issue go on far too long. No lesson was learned there. The council lead by the Mayor is taking the same path on the Amports demo issue. Expect this issue to linger on for some time.
While all this is happening, the city is not even close to solving the present and future financial crisis. Get with it, Mayor Patterson, and show some leadership skills. Believe me, no amount of increase in service fees is going to solve this problem. “The Owl” will be watching. Stay tuned.

Bob “The Owl” Livesay,
Benicia

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Filed Under: Features, Letters, Opinion Tagged With: AMPORTS, Benicia, Benicia City Council, letters

Comments

  1. Samuel Scrutchins says

    May 2, 2017 at 7:08 pm

    Hear, Hear!! Time for Patterson and the Council to wake up and smell the roses.

    Reply

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