Gordon doing job

Recent letters to the Burbank Leader from Alfred Aboulsaad and Tom Crowther ("Two very different visions for the city's leaders," Community Commentary, Aug. 23, and "Council doesn't need complication of bully," Mailbag, Aug. 26) seem nothing more than malicious attacks on the character of Councilman David Gordon.

As a City Council appointee to the Charter Review Committee, it is clear that Aboulsaad has an agenda to support the good ol' boys who appointed him. But it is disingenuous and irresponsible to make accusations against Gordon that are nothing more than a laughable spin on the truth in regard to the behavior of Gordon's fellow council members, who behave like children when asked questions they can't answer or they don't get their way.

It is even worse for Aboulsaad to make claims against local residents like Eden Rosen, a champion of low-cost housing, transportation and care-giving for seniors by suggesting she is opposed to funding those services. Aboulsaad and Crowther seem to be more concerned with the comfort-level of veteran council members than they are with the integrity of the community.

Every week we see the other council members make feeble attacks against the character of Gordon, yet he is always the most prepared. He appears to be the only one to have read the materials prior to the meeting. Before he took the oath of office, he promised the voters of Burbank that he would not be a rubber stamp, and he is doing his job well.

The question should be, why aren't the other council members as prepared, instead routinely voting yes on every proposal that comes down the road. During the very appropriate timing of the council reorganization meeting, Gordon asked questions regarding the recent alleged domestic violence allegations against Mayor Todd Campbell, and he was the recipient of name calling by Councilman David Golonski. What he and the residents of Burbank have not received is an explanation of those allegations.

Gordon won the special election, called after a former council member resigned. Gordon is the choice of the voters of Burbank, and it's too bad if other council members don't like it because their guy lost.

But Aboulsaad wants to change that process as a member of the Charter Review Committee, as do his puppet-masters, if they get their way. The right to vote for a replacement council member will be taken away from the citizens of Burbank and given to the council members to choose one of their own, as well as taking away the right to vote for city treasurer and city clerk, regardless of their record. The citizens of Burbank need more people like Gordon on the council to ask the tough questions. The voters need to turn out in the February and April elections, when we can vote down the tyrannical recommendations of the hand-picked Charter Review Committee.

I am thankful Gordon is asking the hard questions on behalf of Burbank residents. The status quo is just not good enough anymore, and we deserve better.