It is not very often I have to agree with a liberal, but I think Mr. Roegner’s questions in the Dec. 9 Mirror were pretty right on. Unfortunately, I don’t think he asked enough questions.

Skip Priest left the city in good financial shape without a chief of staff. Skip Priest also didn’t need a policy adviser, either. Mr. Ferrell only thinks he does. In my humble opinion, there’s absolutely no common sense being used, hiring an attorney as a policy adviser. The way I look at it, either the attorney needing a civil service job is either not a very good attorney, or there’s some wasteful political payback happening.

If Mr. Ferrell needs guidance, he should be looking to the construction industry. Those people know about schedules and budgets. Isn’t Mr. Ferrell an attorney? Doesn’t he know how the law works? Why does he need to hire another attorney? Doesn’t he have the city attorney to ask questions of?

Mr. Ferrell ran for office telling voters he was opposed to the Performing Arts and Events Center, but shortly after he was elected, the PAEC became a great idea. Then there’s Towne Center Park. How many times has it been remodeled? Mr. Ferrell blames the City Council for that fiasco.

Couldn’t he have at least spoken against the second and third remodels? Oh, it was just taxpayers’ money.

In my humble opinion, there’s a couple of things that can be done to fix some problems at City Hall. First, knock out the walls and put glass so taxpayers can see who is working on city business and who isn’t. Second, install some time clocks in executive offices, including the city attorney, judges and mayor’s office. When they leave the office for a photo op, they don’t get paid. The mayor is paid to be in office doing city business. He doesn’t need a city car. So take it away. That will save gas, maintenance and insurance. That could go into police funding.

Many people in Federal Way are on fixed incomes. Does Mr. Ferrell plan on making a new class of poor? Remember, voters just passed a huge property tax levy for a light rail that can’t fix the gridlock.

Mike Silvers, Federal Way