Dear Editor, As one of the few periodicals that provides local reporting for Lafayette, how informed is your readership? How many Lafayetters know the Council looks set to pass a Downtown Specific Plan that would allow buildings to rise to an urban, view-obstructing 43 feet and increase population density? How many know that the Council is debating another supersized apartment complex downtown, right behind Panda Express? Do they understand that views of the hill are in danger? Do they realize the City Manager has proposed a budget with an 11% deficit that eats into our emergency reserves and threatens basic city services, like repairing the failed roads that 15% of our residents live on or funding our already undermanned police department? How many know that part of that deficit is fuelled by yet another 7% increase to wages, when cost-of-living is flat, our revenues are down and most businesses and municipalities are laying people off, not giving them raises? Our City Council needs to hear our voices, but we need better reporting of the issues. For those interested in learning more, I can be reached at gabrielfroymovich@yahoo.com.
Gabriel Froymovich
Lafayette
Editor Lafayette has $500,000 for a downtown plan but could not get a portable potty to the Chamber of Commerce's fabulous June 5th event. I ran into a famous person there (Dave Seaborg.) When I mentioned Lafayette's Downtown Strategic Plan on my list of government waste, he was shocked. He said he recently worked on a 10 year downtown plan. Lafayette's government keeps crying poor, while wasting money on plans. It is fiscally irresponsible. Always has been and probably always will be.
Bruce R. Peterson
Lafayette
Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA