At Los Gatos’ annual priority-setting session, Mayor Moore and Vice Mayor Ristow demanded higher travel and entertainment budgets to fund boondoggle conferences while the Town Manager forecasts upcoming multimillion-dollar operating deficits with no relief in sight.
It’s another example of failed Council fiscal leadership, which could cause painful service and staff reductions.
Moore and Ristow are willing to tax residents more, or slash headcount, so they can attend these junkets. This is the epitome of bad judgment—while the other three Council members wisely refused to support it. It’s a blatant “more for me” choice of unceasingly spending someone else’s money, not their own. They claim they “don’t make very much,” so these lavish perks are compensation they are entitled to.
Voters must remember this in November. We need to elect thoughtful leadership.
Jak VanNada
*Letters are edited for length and clarity
