Council should represent everyone in Chico

This is in response to Vice Mayor Alex Brown’s post on her Facebook page after the emergency City Council meeting last week, expressing sadness, frustration, disappointment and embarrassment. I agree with these sentiments … but she said, “This is not what a progressive council should look like.”

Have you considered that the city needs a council to represent all who live here? Have you taken a moment and asked yourself; what about those citizens in Chico who either do not subscribe to a progressive agenda or even more likely do not subscribe to a political agenda? How about a “good” for the city agenda.

My hope is with your intelligence you will serve the people of Chico in ways that represent the disenfranchised, those who are more stable tax paying members of the same city, plus all in between. (In light of today’s pandemic who of us is stable?)

Change comes slow, especially when politics are involved. Sean Morgan commented on your nomination to be mayor during the meeting (I paraphrase): a dedicated public servant who needs more experience. I would agree with that assessment because to call yourself a progressive you have excluded so many. When, and if, you can expand your qualities to serve many that job of mayor could be a possibility.

Until you encompass the mission statement you took an oath to uphold, I will be one of the disenfranchised taxpaying citizens you seem to ignore and will be sad, frustrated, disappointed and embarrassed.

— Michael Barr, Chico