LTE: Duncan Stunned by Council’s Monday Vote

Dear fellow citizens:

Many, many folks have written or spoken to me about the budget surplus issue that was before City Council at our Monday meeting. Council thrashed around on it for hours, with the end result being that for now, the surplus money just remains sitting, directed to no specific useful purpose. Here are my thoughts on the Monday meeting:

I am stunned and terribly disappointed that, on this very important issue of broad community interest, the citizens are being denied a conclusive resolution by the full membership of City Council. At our Monday meeting, Mr. Dave Tarter proposed a perfectly reasonable compromise, which I and Mr. Ron Peppe supported, to share surplus money equally with the City, the schools, and directly with taxpayers.

Our colleagues Mr. (Nader) Baroukh and Mr. Ira Kaylin and Ms. Johanna Barry opposed the compromise, which of course is their right. But since their stance left Council deadlocked 3-3 (Mr. Dave Snyder was away on business travel), I asked simply that the matter be carried over to a future meeting, so Council could speak clearly, and citizens would know the position of every member. My request was rejected by Councilors Baroukh, Kaylin and Barry.

Whatever one’s view on the use of the surplus, it is just plain sad for the Council to leave the issue in the inconclusive limbo of procedural deadlock.

- From Councilman Phil Duncan