Will Rogers hit the nail on the head in his April 29 column ("Minute
waltz being played out by council") with his remarks concerning
Councilman Bob Kramer.
Kudos to Kramer for his shelter program, but that is as far as the
praise goes. Instead of using logic and good sense in some of his
remarks, he is posturing for reelection. That he plays to voters is
obvious by some of his remarks at council and his support for a lengthy
oral communication so we can continue to be bored by the same gadflies
with the same comments week after week, or playing videotapes of meetings
we all have seen before.
It is refreshing when a speaker approaches the podium with an item of
new business. Wouldn't it be nice if these citizens didn't have to wait
forever to be heard? Free speech is wonderful except when it is grossly
abused by numerous gadflies who lack any originality or consideration for
others.
Mr. Kramer, in response to certain oral communications, has
demonstrated his lack of knowledge of numerous issues. He was ignorant of
the fact that the city would have to become a party in any legal action
against Restore Our Airport Rights if it had given legal opinions to
ROAR. Since initiatives are the right of the voters and not the
government, you would expect ROAR would have sought the advice of a
private attorney to determine if they were within legal guidelines and
not blame the city when they stumble over the law. (My suspicion is that
Ted McConkey advised his group that legal advice wasn't necessary).
Kramer was critical of the Belmont project because of pending
demolition of the old Burbank Hospital building. That demolition does not
concern the city so long as it is done according to the law and city
ordinances. He doesn't seem to grasp the fact that if Burbank is to
remain economically strong, progress must continue even when it may be
temporarily inconvenient to citizens. Mr. Kramer does not tend to be as
supportive of business as he is to support the private individual.
Perhaps he should become more aware of where the financial support of our
city comes from.
Councilwoman Stacey Murphy, our former mayor, has been criticized by a
certain gadfly because she lacks a college degree. At least Murphy does
her homework. This gadfly should direct some of her wrath toward Kramer
for his lack of information even though he constantly boasts that he is
at City Hall every day.
Perhaps he should spend some time determining the actual facts of the
issues before they come before council so Councilman Golonski and his
golden tongue won't have to gently chastise Kramer for his lack of
knowledge on some of the issues.
BOB BEHNCKE
Burbank
