Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Letter to the Editor


This letter goes out to each and every City of Pacifica Employee and Pacifica residents.
At the July 25, 2011, City Council Meeting, I was shocked to see many familiar City Employees, some of their family members in attendance. The local labor representative talked about outsourcing city jobs. The only way for these city employees to fight for their jobs is to show up at City Council pull a yellow slip to speak and explain to this council why this is such a bad idea.
In my past dealing with Public Works, and City Employees, I have found them to be courteous , very professional and willing to have me come out and explain to them why they where being called out for repairs. Outsourcing these important jobs, will brake the rapport the residents have with these hard working employees.
Our 3 veteran City Council Members (Vreeland, DeJarnatt, Digree) sat on Council during one of the biggest economic booms (2004 to 2008) in Post War History. In these days of free flowing capital into the markets, they neglected building a solid revenue producing city. Instead, they catered to a couple of the (Friends Of City Council.) This has led the city into a very dark and uncertain financial future. They can only look at Vallejo, as a prime example. Vallejo is struggling to exit Chapter 9 Federal Bankruptcy .
A few people around town critique City Employees and state that the salaries they make, are grand larceny. 99% of the public would not do a Police Officer or Fireman's job. A few local blowhards grumble they get paid enough they can take a pay cut.
As a 3rd generation Pacifican, I can state these are the bleakest and darkest hours of Pacifica's History. If the veteran 3 City Council Members, want to lead the city into Bankruptcy, keep doing what you are doing.
I hope for Pacifica residents and City Employees our City Council can guide us thru these very uncertain financial Times.
James Alex
Point Reyes Way

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