My Letter to the GGG Committee

Dear Mr. Alvarez:

Thank you for your note about the meeting your group had with the City Manager and Director of Finance. That is quite a special privilege in itself. I would have loved to have been in attendance.

I agree very much with the view that the conversation about the budget should be civil in all respects and it is unfortunate that a very few people get agitated and frustrated with our commissioners and city management (although perhaps sometimes with good reason).

In any case, I am against impolite public behavior, but it is equally valid that there have been a number of people at the recent budget hearings who honestly, forthrightly and respectfully spoke against new fees and higher millage rates. I personally spoke against additional taxes and fees and the need to face our problem head on this year.

I would very much like to have an opportunity to attend any future meetings of GGG with city management or for any other purpose. Please keep me on your mailing list.

For your information, I personally submitted specific questions on the budget to the office of the Director of Finance and later to the Mayor but never received a response or even recognition of my questions by the Director of Finance or the city manager. This is the kind of response that creates frustration among some of the taxpayers.

Sincerely,

Stephen E. McGaughey