As stated in the 1st and 14th Amendments to the Constitution of the United States, to express information, ideas, and opinions free of government restrictions based on contents.
We would like to challenge the Tribune to finally have the guts to print this letter!
Who are you protecting and why? We all know the answer to that question!
Mr. Tucker you have allowed Randy Smith to state his blah, blah, thoughts and his blah, blah, opinions for what...3 days? We all know about Randy's own personal agenda.
Is this political discrimination?
Or, is the tribune refusing to print the whole truth, nothing but the truth about "Jimmy."
You be the judge!
Dear Freedom of Speech,
This is in response to Amany Ali's letter to the editor published on April 25th. I have attended the city council meetings for the last three years and consider myself somewhat in the know about this administration. I will also state that I am a Republican and do not have a favorite in the Democrat race for mayor.
I do, however, disagree with Ms. Ali on several points about Mayor Garner's leadership.
Ms. Ali marvels at Mayor Garner's composure and integrity. I, in turn, see a man who gets mad, red faced and yells at council meetings whenever he does not get his way. A case in point is the on going hiring ordinance for the Fire Dept. He became totally out of control, left the meeting and continued yelling through the rear door.
Was this composure?
He show's a lack of integrity in the way he handled his cleaning business employees social security contributions to the IRS. He got caught misappropriating $13,000 in FICA taxes which jeopardized his employees social security benefits.
Does this show integrity and honesty?
Ms. Ali states Mayor Garner straightened out the sanitation department.
The truth is that the Mayor appointed a person to head that department who was totally unqualified to run it in an effective manner. The red ink increased each year until the Mayor privatized it. The company that received the bid has several owners whom the Mayor will not identify, thereby creating an area of suspicion as to a conflict of interest. The bid for city pick up was for approximately $13.00 per month per household with the residents buying replacement garbage cans if needed.
One year later this same company got the public housing contract for $8.75 per household per month and furnished each residence with a $60.00 garbage can.
There is also the issue of missing or misuse of the garbage trucks under this lease arrangement.
Ms. Ali states the Mayor worked for Scribner Place even though he faced opposition from the city council. She forgets to mention the $80,000 plus fee that Mayor Garner's hand picked city attorney made on the deal. As well as pledging the property tax of all homeowners for the
next 17 years. If Scribner Place fails everyones property taxes will rise to pay for it.
Ms. Ali states the people of New Albany should re-elect this honest hometown gentleman who is improving the city. I, on the other hand look at the facts and published news reports.
Mayor Garner was sued for back rent on his cleaning business for approximately $20,000. Mayor Garner misappropriated $13,000 from social security taxes paid by his employees and not forwarded to the IRS. Mayor Garner lost a $125,000 for illegally discharging Mr. Steve Brodus from a position he held on the building commission for 18 years as an inspector. The firing was done because Mr. Brodus went public with safety issues that were not being enforced.
Another suit for $200,000 is being threatened by Mr. Proctor of the fire department who was put on probation for 1 year for calling the Mayor a maverick.
These suits cost the city money and time that should be better used.
Inconclusion, the vast majority of the city council, eight of which belong to the Mayor's party are openly supporting his opponents. This truly shows that those who should work closely with the Mayor to make the laws and budgets want someone else as their next mayor.
I maintain that Ms. Ali is letting her friendship get in the way of the facts. The only way New Albany can change its current downhill slide is to vote on May 8th for a change.
Dick Stewert
New Albany
You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time.
~Abraham Lincoln
