U.C. misses mark with zoning

Editor:

I attended the Jan. 15 Universal City council meeting, and one item on the agenda was to rezone three acres on the corner of Centerbrook and Athenian for multi-family development. Thirteen acres of this piece of land are in Live Oak, with only three in Universal City.

Live Oak has zoned their 13 acres for apartment use, while Universal City has zoned the acreage area for retail development. The apartment developer just needed Universal City to rezone his three acres so that work could begin on these apartments, but the council wouldn’t do it. Basic concerns like traffic and emergency services concerning the apartments were addressed, but the council wanted to wait for retail development, voting against the rezoning.

Without Universal City’s rezoning of the three acres, the apartment complex can’t be built, as there isn’t enough room in the Live Oak portion alone. This is another example of poor decision-making on behalf of the council.

I understand the city. is landlocked, but you need only drive down Pat Booker Road to see all the empty lots that have retail potential. Instead of the city earning property tax revenue, we will be sitting on an empty lot.

We do indeed need to strive to bring retail dollars into Universal City, but neighborhoods are where people live, not where they want to go shopping. Once again we missed out.

Brody Simmons

Universal City resident

Rebates just fuel economic disaster

Editor:

President Bush recommends $800-$1,600 tax rebates only to tax payers to stimulate the economy. The wrong people will receive it, myself being one. Many receiving this tax rebate don’t need it and won’t spend it. This will defeat the purpose of stimulating the economy.

Needing it are those not earning enough to pay income taxes. They pay withholding taxes into Social Security and Medicare. The tax rebate is not from surplus tax revenue; but most likely surplus Social Security and other trust funds. If not there, will be borrowed from foreign sources.

This tax rebate is only a Band-Aid when it comes to diverting a recession. It will add to an already sky rocketing national debt, which is now at $9.1 trillion with two major parts; the public debt at $5.5 trillion ($2 trillion owed to foreign sources) and Congress IOUs, $3.6 trillion to trust funds ($2.2 trillion owed to Social Security).

This administration has added a total of $3.5 trillion to the national debt in seven years, far more than any other administration. (U.S .National Debt Clock). The national debt, deficit spending, weak dollar, out sourcing of good-paying jobs, reduction of middle class, Iraq war costs and big tax cuts to the super rich are the reasons for a declining economy, which will not be slowed down or corrected by a tax rebate.

This administration and Congress need to solve these problems to stop an impending economic disaster.

Col. Colin J. N. Chauret, USAF retired

Universal City resident

Do not change charter so soon

Editor:

Mr. John Gallagher, a member of the Live Oak Charter Review Committee, advocated a disregard of current charter review and vote of the public concerning duties of the city manager in hiring and firing. He stated current firings and suspension are a show of power by the city manager, Matt Smith. I disagree.

More to the point, Mayor Henry Edwards, without any knowledge of the reasons for the action, stated he would undo the suspension immediately if he could. For those with military background, the action would be an Article 32 Investigation.

City Councilwoman Ann Man-cillas argued for the council to exclusively do all the hiring and firing. She does not apparently understand how much time this would entail for the whole council.

The City Charter states the city manager “shall … appoint and remove all department heads ...”(Sec 5.02 (a) excerpt) The city attorney stated the city was exercising all due diligence in the investigation of the suspended individual. Remaining council members stated frustration with the length of the process, but none advocated changing the charter or removing the authority of the city manager.

I would ask, “Is there some personal reason” for these three individuals advocating such an extreme position opposing numerous charter reviews and citizen votes on the city charter.

I will wholeheartedly support Matt Smith in his actions and the charter as written. Anything else would be foolhardy.

Richard R. Lamothe

12 year Live Oak

councilman, former mayor pro-tem