A crotchety old guy during the late-1970s coined a phrase describing the perverseness and fecklessness of California’s leading politicians and the statewide ethos of their self-serving of bureaucrats: “That’s a bunch of Bandini.”
Today, and describing this Council’s “attentive” cogitation of renter distress caused by invasive opportunistic LLCs “renovating” apartment buildings citywide, we could add to that old call-to-arms: “BS, the Big Smokescreen”
This Council, and its previous incarnations, have ruined much of Burbank’s charm and wholesomeness. When I understood the Council’s very recent flip-off of those currently living in the Equestrian Zone, I also finally realized what obscuring fog-makers our politicians have become.
Past and present Councils have “given” Burbankers the “iconic” Media Center, which is now a commerce tombstone, other shopping centers are tenanted by financially floundering big-box stores, vast acreages of car sales lots (that may soon be bankrupt). The Media Center is a gigantic advert for movies not modern, affordable, and popular in-home media. And, is Hollywood prospering?
The reason for these disastrous endeavors is directly traceable to past and present-day Burbank City Councils — Councils that did not listen to voters-taxpayers-shoppers but, instead to the anonymous LLC people from afar whispering nonsense economics into the ears of amenable Council members.
Today, I and perhaps a few other persons attending this study session, so far see no Council wisdom on display, no demonstration of future rigorous corrective action, no overt distaste for the city attorney’s “perpetual” philosophy of Council servitude.
Personally, I am affronted and disgusted.
Richard Cathcart
Burbank
First published in the August 12 print issue of the Burbank Leader.
