Shouldn’t voters have a say on this?

As a resident and taxpayer residing in League City, I attended the council meeting Jan. 24 and watched astounded as our constitutional freedoms were eroded one more time right before my eyes!

The city council passed in a vote of 5-to-2 to move the League City elections from May to November, councilmen Dan Becker and Dennis OKeeffe being the only two no votes.

Moving the election to November is an issue to discuss and address. Not giving the residents an opportunity to voice their opinion via referendum is a travesty of justice. The voters elected our council members to a three-year term, which now has been extended to 3½ years, this equates to our elected officials voting themselves a 17 percent raise.

This action was taken into consideration by the Charter Review Advisory Committee, and as reported by one if its members, committee members recommended the change to November without a referendum by the voters. Keeping in mind this is an advisory committee, this action clearly should have gone on the ballot.

Even our city attorney suggested this process could be accomplished by resolution or submittal of the entire process to the voters. His warnings of the possibility of a constitutional challenge if done by council resolution were brushed aside.

No well-publicized public meetings, no due process!

It is true that a loophole in Senate Bill 100 allowed a short window to do this “legally” but that was far away from the real intent of this legislation. I have to conclude that this advisory committee and city council believe they know what’s best for us and we poor voters deserve no seat at the table. If that is not an arrogant, elitist attitude, I can’t say what is.

Some of the council’s decisions in the recent past are more than questionable when we have to pay our former city manager (after he decided to resign when the last elections did not turn out to his liking) for weeks while he sat at home.

Our former police chief was paid a contract termination of $278,000, this amount at his specific request.

Four members of the council refused to even consider making a counter offer. They spend tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars on Christmas parties, still under consideration is spending a million dollars-plus or minus on moving or saving an oak tree, $400,000 spent on an underutilized playground and $4,000 for marketing ventures previously turned down by Destination League City.

Entering into a five-year contract with a red-light camera company that defines no early termination provisions, how ridiculous is that?

Our interim city manager is required to reside in League City yet that’s never happened?

Their mantra bandied about is “world class” and is simply ludicrous. Thanks, Mick Phalen, for leading the charge to pick our pockets and drive us deeper into debt. When will the signing of sloppy contracts end and who is watching the check book?

Geri Bentley is a candidate for League City Council and a founding member of the Clear Lake Tea Party.