Letter to the Editor:
There is, amid the ongoing discussions of the mayor’s alleged misconduct, an often overlooked provision in the City Charter that deserves consideration. While the role of mayor is mostly ceremonial, in cases of disaster or emergency, the charter authorizes the mayor to assume general control over all city services, including police, fire, and other emergency responders (see City Charter section 310 and Burbank Municipal Code section 5-2-106).
In such a scenario, could we expect Konstantine Anthony to act in the best interest of the community, rather than using the occasion for self-promotion? Based on what we’ve seen of Anthony so far, perhaps not.
For those of us who have watched Anthony for a while, a clear pattern emerges: there is no occasion in which Anthony will not see an opportunity to insert himself, whether that be imposing himself upon people lined up at a polling place, or as we see here, using his position as mayor to draw attention to his campaign for county supervisor. Another pattern: whenever he’s held to account, Anthony invariably shrugs off the criticism by playing the victim.
It is also worth noting that because Burbank no longer has a primary election for local offices, Anthony was elected with a mere 20% plurality of the vote – hardly a mandate for him to serve as mayor.
There is yet another provision of the City Charter that is worth noting: a member of the Council serves as mayor “subject to the pleasure of the Council”. This means the person serving as mayor may be removed from the mayoral position at any time (and for any reason) by a simple majority vote of the Council (City Charter section 400). Given Anthony’s lack of judgment and resistance to accountability, this is the best option available to the Council when it takes this matter up again on September 26th.
This is not merely a matter of dignity and decorum; it’s also a matter of public safety, and should be treated as such.
Greg Sousa
Burbank
An excellent letter, Mr. Sousa.
Knowing Mr. Konstantine’s predisposition for self-promotion, our City Council should have bypassed him in their yearly selection of mayor. He isn’t mayoral material and with each passing day, and deplorable incident in which he displays an utter lack of common sense, or dignity, our city is endangered to a horrifying degree.
Burbank has had some incredible mayors over the years. There have also been some mayors who were less than enthralled with the job. Never have we had someone so unfit for office that we cringe at his every display of conduct unbecoming to the office of mayor.
If memory serves me correctly, the choice of a new mayor is made each April or May. If this is correct, Mayor Konstantine still has seven or eight months left on his term. This is unacceptable. He should be removed immediately by our City Council or face a recall.
Burbank deserves to have a mayor who respects the office, our people and puts the preservation of our values above all else. As such, Mayor Konstantine must be removed immediately.
Editor’s Note: The selection of the Mayor is held each December
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