Goldstein: An open letter to Jim Konish
Letter to the editor
An open letter to Jim Konish, public citizen:
Jim, you and a few others have taken heat for many years from City Hall and from the Gainesville Sun for disclosing and documenting the City’s chronic financial misadventures and its painfully increasing consequences. Evidence is easily twisted or diluted by politicians and media who fail to understand it or attempt to massage it.
Jim, revealing the City Commission’s fiscal follies is nasty and punishable by City Commissioners, their supporters, their newspaper, and their managers, whose excesses, friendly no-bid deals, palace-level salaries, and benefits are paid for by students, renters, small businesses, and the few remaining working-class folks who have not yet moved one or two counties away. So there is a lot at stake for the City Commission majority and their supporters who limit access to the evidence.
Jim, it offends City management and the Commissioners when you reveal the deals that have to be paid for every day by every citizen, every student, every renter, worker, and every homeowner and small business. It more than annoys them and their newspaper, which attempts to explain it all away. Yes, as some here have noted, university students are carefully manipulated and lied to by some candidates who would not otherwise be elected if student voters actually knew what their “socially conscious” candidates forced on them and the poorest residents: impossible service fees and high costs of rent, utilities, and transportation, while supporting a plan that increases student danger and death in the streets despite expressions of concern.
If students and residents knew that a few City Commissioners personally rigged election districts to favor selected candidates; if they knew that their candidate(s) actually moved the costs of government from well-off residents to the working class and poorest citizens while showering management and special interests with huge benefits; if they knew that the candidates they voted for support deals for private real estate interests and landlords who they allow to re-plan the city; if they knew that their votes go to candidates who feign concern over crime, traffic deaths, and the poor but actually vote to make it more costly to survive through an election buddy system that led to City Hall malfeasance and misfeasance and incompetence…
Then… Gainesville would have continued to set the standards for good government in Florida and the nation, as it once did, instead of losing its place in the sun. So Jim, please keep it up.
Mark Kane Goldstein, Gainesville
The opinions expressed by letter or opinion writers are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of AlachuaChronicle.com. Letters may be submitted to info@alachuachronicle.com and are published at the discretion of the editor.
Sounds reasonable…
Nice letter.
I’d like to think the university students and public who’ve continued voting for the city commissioners will read your letter to Jim as well, but we know most of them can’t read. Even if they can, it’s beyond their comprehension.
I agree Jim has been a valuable Person to but information out to the public
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I’ve seen Dr Goldstein lie and rally against a local business, actually saying “but this action must be kept secret because their permit process has already started and this would be illegal” (paraphrased but damn near word for word) by spreading fear of “big trucks on the road” and “piles of polluting recycled asphalt”, making the local company move to a neighboring community only to be replaced by an out of state corporate entity. Sorry, but your outrage seems selective and disingenuous. You owe Mr. Watson an apology, Mark!!
You’re being rather selective, too.
If you are going to throw mud and belittle a long time fighter for local truth, at least be honest and use your real name. Mr. Konish is a private citizen, not one of your mentally challenged politicians. BTW, who is the mysterious Watson? Sherlock Holmes is a book with fictional characters.
Mark knows who he is.
Really, Stevee?
Sounds like your unfortunate but passionate support for the group that has corrupted the functions our local government enabled you to make up silly things up about those who shine the light on it. This is not a new tactic by true believers, just a sad one.
If you are able to pay city bills and charges in our city, without financial or personal support from government, you are blessed. It could be a real public service if you would gather some actual data and facts on the effect of city government on working class folks and students whose economic survival you care about.
I signed the letter, how about signing yours.
Mark
Nice points! Why are the palatial salaries so high and what do they do to deserve them?
A third of a million dollars for a city manager? And the list goes on!!!
Amen. The truth always wins. Even when others try to suppress it. The others being a self-serving Caesar demanding we worship the globalist doomsday cult, and accuses us of racism when we don’t.
Very well said and thank you for expressing your appreciation for Jim Konish’s work and effort.
1. Perhaps the writer can substantiate with names and dates the some of the accusations he levels against city commissioners.
2. No matter malfeasance by elected leaders – criminal or otherwise – not speaking against the theft of city property by partisan hacks who could never be elected in the city constitutes unpardonable lack of moral substance in my opinion.
3. Can anyone tell us what per cent of Gainesville voters are “students” since they are the apparent cause of the allegations claimed by the writer. Given that grad students, and even undergrads could reside here for many years, are we to question the legitimacy of any voters who “ain’t from around here.”
In reference to #2. You’ve always said we, (the public), own city property, (GRU I’m guessing your alluding to since you have so often), but here you say it’s owned by the city. Please make up your mind.
If the city owns something, like GRU, the citizens of Gainesville own it and are responsible for it.
Let me know if you need further help.
So why don’t we have a say in how it’s profits are distributed?
You do need help. I’ve heard UF has some great resources and even the city is providing mental health services to those who qualify. That would be you.
If you are a citizen of Gainesville you have the right to elect leaders who will do as you wish on GRU, including how it’s profits are distributed.
Or you did. The state under the leadership of hostile partisans not elected by Gainesville residents, have stolen from you that control of property you own and are responsible for, including any debts.
Those are facts.
Amen, Mr. Goldstein, and, Jim, if you have Ears, hear his words.
I laugh at those who think the Gainesville Sun still has any significance.
Only for the homeless who need something to wipe their rear ends.
Yeah right. If republicans had been elected instead, all the city’s problems would be solved, the budget would be balanced, homelessness would end, rents would become affordable, inflation would cease, no more crime, and eveybody would prosper and there would be no more poor people and no racism. Nobody would have to pay taxes. Society will be one big happy family. Yeah, republicans have all the answers. What a pipe dream.
Actually you aren’t that far off. But you will never know because of the grip the elitist Progressives have over your vote. You don’t have the courage to vote for a Republican
Things may actually be better but you lemmings aren’t willing to admit it. You may want to stop smoking Ward’s pipe or stop taking his crack.
Ward is smoking the UN / WEF / Globalist agenda, and has been for the last 4 years at least.
https://iclei.org/network_city/city-of-gainesville-fl/
Not unlike Poe getting his marching orders from Tel Aviv on the taxpayer dime, and reciting them back to the commission even though he was no longer mayor by that time.