The debate moves to Twitter

As of this morning, the debate has moved to Twitter. Below are tweets between me and two members of council, Leslie Ghiz and Greg Harris.

I have rearranged the order of the tweets to show them in logical, rather than chronological order, so that comments and responses are together.


Leslie_GhizThanks for the wonderful letter. I posted it on my twitter. Leslie.

Leslie_GhizWoke up to my op ed piece in the Enquirer. Thanks to Enquirer for giving me a voice. The majority of council doesn't want it heard.


[Here's the Op-Ed Piece: Police, firefighters are core of city's basic services]

CouncilHarrisGhiz column in Enquirer misleading. Says citizen's input at Council special session stifled, yet everyone who wanted to speak was allowed.

alto606@councilharris: Only the cards in Mallory's hand were allowed to speak. There were other cards that didn't make it up front. Ghiz is right.

CouncilHarrisConspiratorial thinking really unproductive. This is the system we have for all council sessions. People fill out comment cards.

CouncilHarrisIf FOP gives up raise, no layoffs. 4 on Council say gut all other programs and services to let powerful union remain immune from economy.

alto606@councilharris: I think they may have accepted furloughs if they had been given more info re: how many jobs would be saved.

CouncilHarristhey still can

alto606@councilharris: However the real issue is all the unnecessary expenses. In a crisis, you cut the luxuries: take home cars cell phones horses

CouncilHarrisYes, exactly. These unessential expenses will get cut. We are facing a $28 mill budget gap this year, $40 mill next.

alto606@councilharris: if luxuries they will be cut, why wait until AFTER layoffs were announced? No way to tell what real deficit is, otherwise.

CouncilHarrisI have many friends who lost their jobs. All would have given up pay raise to keep job. And most of them don't earn $65k.

alto606@councilharris: argument that it's the cops' turn for layoffs is specious. It isn't a matter of taking turns.It's a matter of public safety.

CouncilHarrisBut that's not the argument. The argument is they should give up raises for first time in five years to avoid layoffs.

alto606@councilharris: Dohoney should have made all possible other budget cuts first before thinking about laying off anyone.

alto606@councilharris: BTW - I'm not a city employee.Just a concerned citizen who thinks this has been a very sloppy effort by cty mgr, council

CouncilHarrisGiven the confidence in the assumptions you convey, can I assume you actually reviewed where the $28 mill in cuts are coming from?

alto606@councilharris: As Will Rogers said. "All I know is what I read in the newspapers." Budget details are talked about in generalities there.

alto606@councilharris: If the entire proposed budget is available for perusal online, please let me know -- or should I join the lawsuit?