Letter: Citizens were steamrolled

Ken Carter, Bartlett

Attending Tuesday's Memphis City Council meeting left me sick to my stomach. The confusion shown by the members regarding matters of great importance leads me to think they either don't care or are not intelligent enough to prepare themselves properly.

The dire need for speed cameras, so sudden it was not even on the day's agenda for discussion, was again brought up by Myron "Red-light Camera" Lowery on behalf of ATS, which just happened to have a salesman in the chambers. What started as a dire need for 20-25 additional red-light cameras and speed cameras suddenly became an order for 150 speed cameras that would generate a questionable $29 million in revenue.

We had no opportunity to speak on this subject, like to question why, if these cameras are so great, have several states outlawed them completely. Lowery ambushed the citizens and in 30 minutes had all but awarded his friends with a multimillion-dollar contract (June 19 article, "Whittled budget on hold / Council lops $29M, adds speed cameras").

The council also broke the rules it wrote and passed in 1978 regarding the impasse committees and the role they play in negotiations with city employees. They disregarded the recommendations of their own committees to restore the 4.6 percent wage cut, despite the fact that some of their number recognized that they had given their word legally and ethically, and challenged other members to "do the right thing."

All this while Lowery was vociferous in his defense of the council's free meals, stating, "Our day starts early." How dare he insult us with such a child-like defense of an indefensible position? If this is the best they can do, there truly is no hope for this city.