Flyover just a PR show for officials
I guess it's lucky a photographer just happened to be at the
airport as our local congressman, a city councilman and an assistant
city manager took off in a helicopter to check out the fire damage
("A fire's aftermath," Oct. 5).
Obviously, that's not what happened. An aide to congressman or a
city staff person contacted the press, and it was an event staged for
the newspaper's camera, one that accomplished virtually nothing for
taxpayers. What information did the tour provide that wouldn't be
available to the same officials at absolutely no cost through routine
television coverage, or through first-hand reports from those experts
responsible for fighting the fires? The only purpose served was to
keep a couple of elected officials in the public eye.
Even if there was some minimal benefit to taxpayers to have the
elected officials tour the area days after the fires were essentially
put out, which I strongly doubt, I can't figure out how the tour
warranted front page coverage in a newspaper. There's little
incentive for politicians to forego these pointless, public relations
exercises if the media jump at the opportunity to cover them under
the guise of "news." The fire was news.
Assessing the handling of the fire is news. The lessons learned
being studied and implemented to fight future fires is news. But
covering this helicopter ride was PR.
At the very least, I'd like to see Rep. Adam Schiff's reelection
committee promptly issue a check to repay Burbank for his share of
the city's expense for the tour.
STEVEN R. PETERSON
Burbank
In favor of dwelling ordinance
Regarding "Council gives conversion thumbs down," Oct. 1-2, we are
in favor of this rule, because parking is always a problem. Most
households have two cars and have a driveway that will hold one car,
so one car is usually on the street.
On our street, one homeowner is illegally renting out her
guesthouse, so that is an extra car on the street and she won't allow
him to park in front of her house. The house across the street houses
several families -- there is an older woman, whose son has hired a
caregiver for her. The caregiver has two daughters who grew up in the
house, the daughters have boyfriends who reside in the house, one
daughter has a baby and the caregiver's husband spends weekends
frequently. That makes six cars for the one house. And to top it off,
Cinema Secrets won't let their employees park in their lot, so
several have gotten handicapped placards and park on our street. I
