To the Burbank City Council:
You sat and listened, but did you hear? Did your "oath of office"
mean anything to you? What was it that you all didn't understand?
What was not conveyed by the 20-plus Burbank residents who gave
credence to our position?
Or was it the small-town council members playing with the Fortune
500 Home Depot that clouded -- no, not just clouded, but dazzled --
you into thinking you were now playing with the "big boys"? The big
boys had to be right with whatever they were selling. How could the
"hick citizens" of Burbank possibly know more than the general
counsel, economics, planning and whatever else Home Depot has when
proposing a site? How could the "hicks" know more than Home Depot
about federal, state, city and county laws?
It's not that we know more. Home Depot will not divulge what will
eventually get our city into trouble with these agencies.
I would challenge you, Ms. Ramos, Mr. Campbell, Mr. Golonski and
Mr. Vander Borght, to the following after the center has been
operating for one year:
1. Produce a financial statement on the actual cost to the city of
Burbank. This would include the cost of salaries, employee benefits,
insurance, utilities, property taxes for that patch of land used for
the center, repairs and maintenance (including paper, pencils,
general office supplies, bathroom supplies). Of course, you would
deduct the income produced by the $94,000 received from Home Depot.
By the way, would that city employee be eligible for a pension from
the city? If so, I might apply for that job.
2. What is the condition of the surrounding area?
3. Are the unemployed all from the Burbank area?
4. Has the city of Burbank needed to use our police to secure a
safe Home Depot environment?
5. How many of these unemployed are legally here, and are we
breaking the law by having undocumented people trying to secure jobs?
6. How many of the contractors are licensed and have workers'
compensation?
7. Who is responsible should one of these laborers fall on the
property or within the center? Would it be the "deep pockets [of the]
city of Burbank"?
Ms. Ramos and Mr. Golonski, your terms come up in April, and I
will set my goals on your defeat. Mr. Campbell and Mr. Vander
Borght, I am sure you noticed the power of the "recall."
Citizens of Burbank are not sore losers, but instead are shocked
at the lack of respect you have for those who voted you all into
office. We are the taxpayers, the voters, the moms and pops, the
store owners, the Neighborhood Watch, the small-town hicks, the most
caring to our senior citizens and our handicapped, with the best
schools and what I believe to be the best police and fire departments
in the world.
I am still trying to find a reason why you would side with Home
Depot and not with the findings from such a vast forum and with such
an overwhelming and diverse range of opinions about why this center
should not happen.
I will hold each of you responsible for what seems to be, if
history is any teacher at all, a disaster for our beautiful city.
JOSEPHINE (JOANN) CAPUTO
Burbank
