HomeMy WebLinkAbout2/4/2020 Item 9, Scott M.
Wilbanks, Megan
From:oxforduniversity M <
To:Council_All; E-mail Council Website
Subject:Council on pay increases opinion Feb 4th 2020
Dear City Council
I opposed the pay increases to any mayor or council member if they are going to credit themselves for a
needed raise and especially when they are using city funds to campaign for themselves. The mayor as an
example has been spending a lot of her time at Cal Poly campaigning to students and emailing & asking
her SLO Progressive supporters to send in emails to say yes for a Heidi Harmon pay raise. In my view its a
conflict of interest even if it were an independent, libertarian, republican or another party mayor I
would feel the same way. Their wages should reflect the job and not promoting their job to get re-
elected then asking for a raise to do so which is what the mayor is doing as a good example.
Second, the mayor and this council are getting a lot of benefits not just free healthcare, pensions, gas
money, free hotel expenses, meals they are getting paid by the city on expenses at no cost to them.
Those expenses too should submitted for public review on how much money the mayor and our council
members are getting before considering raise, let the public see those expenses to determine what is
appropriate.
Third, we need to get rid of the popular vote as the mayor is not giving minorities a chance for their
opinions but the mayor wants the popular vote as it benefits her not the minorities. There are poor
families in this town from African Americans, Latino’s, Veterans and other ethnic groups just to name
examples that are being unfairly sidelined on their vote because of the popular vote. We need to have
districts in this town to have people vote from their districts not the city as a whole to vote.
I know even if I write this quick letter to the city council and the mayor that this council is going to vote
for a pay raise anyway. Considering all the opposition on eliminating natural gas last year the council
made up their minds before the initial council meeting as rumors spread that council members
expressed how they were going to vote before and they did. It is obvious we were speaking and writing
opinions to a brick wall with this council which is sad, I say that to any political party not one party.
Lastly I want to say we have an all democrat city council as everybody knows that, considering
all the problems with the homeless, our police department, cuts to city employees, healthcare
benefits cuts etc yet we have a council I feel is thinking about themselves not all of them but
mainly them. I know the progressives will dislike my comments but can you blame any
independent, libertarian or republican for the problems we have now? Who is making the
decisions in this town or is putting our town down the wrong path or do you think San Luis
Obispo is so wonderful, is there any party to blame here? Again this town is being run by
democratic leaders not public opinion and if we have all democrat council, who should I blame?
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A independent, a libertarian or any republican, there is no other party that this town is being
run by other than democrats; say what you will but am I wrong here to blame anybody for
these growing problems and who runs our city, to think they want a raise now?
SLO City citizen since 1978
Scott M.
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