Concerned citizen: The mayor, an outspoken critic of the proposed restoration of city hall, is right when he notes that the building is outdated, but that the restoration would be expensive at a time when the budget is already tight  We cannot afford such a luxury item in this time of financial restraint, he says  However, I respectfully disagree
The building provides the last remaining link to the days of the city' s founding, and preserving a sense of municipal history is crucial to maintaining respect for our city government and its authority
The argument inappropriately relies on the emotional connotations of words such as outdated and luxury. 