Bob Botts : Banning’s greatest liability   . –  an editorial by Lyndon Taylor

.

6/18/10 – I read with amazement a recent article in the Record Gazette announcing that Bob Botts is running for re-election to the Banning City Council, and collecting money to further his cause.

This is the same Bob Botts who championed the Liberty Energy Project and threatened the health and safety of every citizen of the greater Banning area.

This is the same Bob Botts who only turned away from Liberty Energy after the citizens of this community challenged the City Council by circulating a petition with over 4,300 signatures which then made it impossible for Botts to pursue the project.

This is the same Bob Botts who most recently led the City Council in ignoring the recommendations of the Grand Jury to stop funneling taxpayer money to the Banning Cultural Alliance. (view Grand Jury report)

This is the same Bob Botts who ignored the recommendation of the Grand Jury to demand that the Cultural Alliance pay back to the City $ 162,000 (plus interest) for work the Alliance never accomplished, while at the same time threatening to close the Senior Center, the swimming pool, and other civic facilities.

This is the same Bob Botts, who, with colleagues on the Community Redevelopment Agency, purchased property using taxpayer money with no appraisal prior to purchase.

This is the same Bob Botts who has ignored the needs of the eastern portion of Banning while lavishing money on the downtown area in highly questionable projects.

This is the same Bob Botts who misused (i.e. stole) bond funds earmarked for the Sun Lakes reclaimed water project and spent them on a $ 14 M police station in violation of the California Constitution ( Prop. 218),(view Banning Informer article of 3/20/10).

This is the same Bob Botts, who, as Mayor, had oversight of the City’s general fund that was found by the auditors to have significant deficiencies and misstatements.

This is the same Bob Botts who has – so far – ignored the considerable needs of the City of Banning for a reopened Animal Shelter.

This is the same Bob Botts who publically chastises members of the public who do not happen to agree with him by arrogantly suggesting they  ” leave the room” ,(view recent Banning Informer article of  6/10/10).

This is also the same Bob Botts who has so little regard for the financial condition of Banning that he orders a $65 steak dinner and charges it to the City while favoring the layoffs of City Staff and maybe even police officers ( listen to “PASS POLITICS” radio show of 2/10/10 and view Banning Informer article  of 2/1/10)

This is the same Bob Botts who was reported to have held secret closed-door meetings with the Cultural Alliance with some of his fellow City Council members ( a fact which he vehemently denies) , with the public not invited, without a report of what happened at the meeting, or why they were being held (view Banning Informer article of 4/1/10 ) .

All things considered, does it take courage or just sheer arrogance for Bob Botts to even consider re-election?

In view of all of this, does  anyone – other than the Banning Cultural Alliance – still believe that Bob Botts constitutes an asset to our community ? I believe there can be no doubt that Bob Botts is Banning’s greatest  liability.