"If I continue to do what I am doing, I'll continue to have what I have!"
After returning from a six-week trip abroad, I investigated the record of our current Sun Valley government so that I can appropriately use my voting franchise on Nov. 6. While I love the current mayor and City Council, like brothers, voting for them would be committing nepotism.
I voted for all the incumbents the last time. I did not vote for them to tell me who my neighbors should be, how to sort out my garbage, or to pay out money for their personal agendas. In fact, I did not elect "parents" but hoped that they would run the government efficiently and save us taxpayers some money. Here is why I feel it is time for a change:
What were they thinking with the trash disposal? I need to pay more and sort out one bag of trash into space-consuming bins and cart them down to the end of my driveway. Here is a scenario. A small person driving a Hummer or a Suburban, alone, takes two parking spaces in front of Atkinsons', leaves the car running with air-conditioning, comes out with some poor guy pushing the cart of groceries, unloads it in the back and then drives home to multiple garages and one would notice outside are seven bins and proudly proclaims "We recycle trash"—try to legislate that.
I find out that the government has committed half a million dollars to the Y, of our taxpayers' money—$50,000 of it is already paid, to a facility that belongs in the South Valley. So intelligence is that we are going to commute kids and people from the south, clogging up the highway further. Of course, we are going to expand the highway—more money from the taxpayers. I think giving this money may be illegal. So, to legalize it technically, the government is going to send out a survey where the complacent citizens will of course vote "Yes" for this "Sacred Cow". It seems to me that this is breaking the law and then cooking up documents to make it technically legal. When questioned, I was told "Sun Valley has no recreation." Give me a break!
$10,000 has been given to an organization called "La Alianza". Unknown to me, so I investigated, this is a fledging organization that is going to build bridges between the citizens and Hispanics, including illegals. Certainly not my cup of tea.
Money has been given for subsidized housing without due diligence, resulting in lawsuits, costing us thousands.
Yes, I know it is time for a change and while I don't know all the new folks well, I will take my chances. Anything else has to be better and for once guys, do something efficient. Save us some money and send it back as a tax credit. I think I will have to wait until hell freezes over.
Pawan K. Mehra
Sun Valley
