Mack: Concerned citizens are “drop in the bucket”
Pensacola City Councilwoman Diane Mack is continuing her unfortunate defense of the Automatic Aid Agreement — and continuing to dismiss the concerns of her constituents.
In an update to her website, Councilwoman Mack called concerned citizens a “drop in the bucket”:
If Council members received an average of 20 to 30 communications and all were in opposition as they reported, that’s 200 to 300 citizens. There are 53,000 City of Pensacola residents and about 35,000 registered voters; any way you do the math, the opposition was a drop in the bucket.
Councilwoman Mack continues to miss the larger point. The fact of the matter is that the majority of those 53,000 residents remain unaware of this plan. To our knowledge, no other local media has covered it. We are confident that if the News Journal or WEAR ran a story on the issue, she and other members of Council would receive more calls, likely with an equally overwhelming degree of opposition.
Mrs. Mack is basically claiming that those whom haven’t spoken up — those who don’t know about what’s going on — are giving consent through their silence. Progressive Pensacola strongly disagrees.
We continue to be puzzled as to the reasons for Councilwoman Mack’s support for this obviously inequitable agreement. The only defense that Councilwoman Mack has cared to make when pressed is that County residents may be more likely to annex if they “get a taste” of City services. Perhaps. In the meantime, City taxpayers foot the bill for their newfound services and our already strained Fire Department is spread more thinly.
Progressive Pensacola asks those who are concerned about the Automatic Aid Agreement to contact Councilwoman Mack, either by email or telephone, to join the “drop in the bucket.”
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OK — looks like we’ve elected someone who only pretended that she would represent us. She assumes that those who don’t contact her & other members of council are in favor of the proposal? Good Lord! Guess it’s time I pick up the phone & let her know what I think.
This is a no-brainer. The City Fire Dept is already short staffed with trucks off duty. To send them into the County is a complete disservice to the City taxpayers. Now is not the time for this experiment.
Mack should insist that meetings of public issues not be held at 1:30 in the afternoon if she wants to hear from other drops in the bucket . She seems to be carrying a bucket of arrogance after only a few months of “service”
If we must fight our representatives to stop them from giving away our city services for free, and those who address the situation are simply drops in a bucket, clearly, we have made a very bad mistake in electing mack .
It seems apparent this is more about payback to the fire department for not supporting her rather than what is best for the tax strapped citizens.
How may residents did Mack and Pratt record that are in support of giving free services to the County?
Did the number of supporters of giving free service to the county outsplash the drops in the bucket that opposed this giveaway plan?
Has mack or pratt called the pnj or wear to ask that they report this story so their city wide consituents are informed? If not, then why not?
So if you live in the city and pay your taxes but are a relative of, or are friends with firemen you dont have a voice. That is very pretentious of these two public servants. What about all of the people that are friends with Mr. Studer should we go back and toss their votes on the CMP? Oh thats right , I forgot you are for that. Just get it like you want it ladies.
After reading her blog, I find it interesting that she did not share how many calls were made from city taxpayers that were in support of the plan but discounts the 200 -300 calls made in opposition.
Who does Mack represent if 200 t0 300 calls made are diminished as drops in a bucket?
Why this city lags behind is that the so called leadership continues to make deals and decisions that are not in the best interest of the taxpayers paying the bill.
How does Gulf Breeze attract businesses with less government and retain a 6.5% sales tax instead of Pcola’s 7.5% sales tax.
A drive across the bridge saves 1%.
From Mack’s site:
“Councilwoman Megan Pratt, being of like experimental mind, saw the value of a well-structured and well-monitored pilot program and spoke in support.”
What is the point of the pilot program ? What exactly does the city get from finding out how many fires it has worked for the county for no charge?
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St Michaels – A mystery?
The real mystery of the cemetary is why the lights are still not working after almost 5 years and 2 vandalisms and state and local funding.