‘Vitriol’ aimed at council critic

Council critic Ray Stark says he has copped some ‘‘vitriolic’’ reactions from several city councillors under pressure over his high-profile push for a political cleanout.

‘‘I think they’re running scared because their jobs are on the line. I’m confident that given time, the public of Hamilton will revolt. I’ve only started something,’’ he said.

Mr Stark has refused to name three councillors that he said have contacted him directly, but yesterday he said some had resorted to ‘‘vitriol and smear attacks’’.

‘‘Some of their comments are just outrageous. They really just want to push their own agenda and they are very disloyal to each other.’’

Councillor Dave Macpherson, whose strongly worded public comments dismissed the ‘‘Concerned Citizen’’, which involved two billboards and website calling for councillors’ heads after a series of city botch-ups, including the V8s spend and floodgate letters, said he had not spoken to Mr Stark.

Concerned Citizen spokesman Warren Brown said those behind the campaign were ‘‘simply exercising our right of free speech, giving voice to mounting concerns about the overspending and enormous debts being piled up by [Hamilton City Council]’’.

Mr Macpherson earlier called the people behind the campaign ‘‘nameless, faceless cowards with heaps of cash’’ and blogged that they ‘‘lacked the guts to stand up for their views’’, but said he was not responsible for any private attacks. ‘‘I stab people from the front.’’

Mr Stark said the messages and emails responding to his billboards and website had been overwhelmingly positive.