In Wake Of Infamous NY Times Article:
Bukowski Resigns All Committees After Council Rebuffs Him
In the continuing highly public downward spiral of Ken Bukowski, the embattled council member announced his resignation from all of his city committee seats in protest over a refusal from his colleagues to seat him on any regional committees Tuesday night.
After his colleagues in the council chambers unanimously said no to his request to sit on three greater regional government committees representing Emeryville, Mr Bukowski angrily told his colleagues he will resign from all his city committees. He told the other council members, "If I'm not good enough to serve on a regional committee, then I shouldn't be serving on city committees". He asserted that a campaign of persecution was being waged against him.
Mr Bukowski currently serves on at least nine city committees including the powerful Transportation Committee and City/Schools Committee.
The falling out with his colleagues began more than two years ago after the local news blog The Secret News broke a story about Mr Bukowski's failure to pay his required business taxes in the city. After the story was picked up by the mainstream media including the San Fransisco Chronicle, the council began to move against him, ultimately leading to a full censure.
Tuesday's rebuff of Mr Bukowski comes on the heels of a scathing December 2nd New York Times article wherein the councilman admitted to a long history of methamphetamine use, an open secret for years.
Mr Bukowski lashed out against the other council members after the vote came down against him Tuesday night, "I'm so tired of this persecution over all this stuff in the press and in the media" he exclaimed.
By resigning from all his city committee seats, Mr Bukowski jettisons considerable influence and renders himself just a whisper of his former high position of faculty. The following is a list of the city committees Councilman Bukowski now abdicates:
- The Bike/Ped Committee
- The Child Development Committee
- The City/Schools Committee
- The I-80 Bike/Ped Bridge Committee
- The South Bayfront Bike/Ped Bridge Committee
- The Transportation Committee
- The Public Works Committee
- The Parks & Recreation Ad Hoc Committee
- The Public Safety Committee
It is nice to see the Council once again taking a stand against unethical behavior.
ReplyDeleteSad to see the destruction of a man's life in such a public setting. No doubt he hasn't hit bottom yet.
ReplyDeleteBulkowski knew a long time ago that he could no longer be on regional committees. This was discussed at a city council meeting, and then explained in detail to him as to why. He accepted it then, why the sudden change? He is paid to do the local committee work, and he should complete that obligation or resign completely.
ReplyDeleteIs this a good event or bad event. I know that
ReplyDeleteKen rode his bicycle all over. Maybe an ally is lost.
To the last commenter:
ReplyDeleteIt's true that Ken rode his bicycle around town a lot years back but that was more before he got his SUV a couple of years ago. The SUV was given to him by an Emeryville developer friend. Since then he has ridden his bike much less (according to him).
One important fact to keep in mind however is that Ken Bukowski has been the most anti-bike council member on the council. This is not a matter of opinion, instead, it's reflective of his actual voting record. Ken Bukowski has voted in favor of automobiles at the expense of bikes in EVERY case. The fact that he rode his bike often is not reflective of his hostile views on bike accessibility in Emeryville.
Really, it's nice to see them take a stand?
ReplyDeleteThey are only taking a stand because he was becoming an embarrassment, not because they have some ethical values.