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.