Just a quick note to indicate that I thought you “hit the ball out of the park” at [the Dec. 14] NTC/District 2 town hall forum [you hosted]. I found your sincere, honest approach to the city’s financial crisis enlightening and a ray of sunshine in the “dark clouds” which hang over San Diego’s city government.   If you and [District 2 City Councilman] Kevin Faulconer can convince the Mayor [Jerry Sanders] and others on the City Council to implement your “roadmap and actionable items,” we might see real reform in my lifetime here in San Diego. We definitely need to get our financial house in order:  reduce waste and redundancy in departmental budgets (zero-based processes), limit/cap spending growth, increase and streamline competitive public bids with tighter controls and accountability, change future pension programs for city workers to align with the public sector, and finally — and most importantly — revisit all existing pension programs and implement legal remedies to reduce the spiraling costs in pension benefits afforded current and past retirees. Unfortunately, poor city management in the past created this current financial mess, and now is the time for all current elected officials to step up to the plate and create an air of transparency and honest negotiations with the multiple city unions. I believe a majority of San Diego residents/taxpayers are behind real reform here in San Diego and they know it will take some difficult discussions and concessions on the part of San Diego city employees’ unions to help right the city’s financial stability. Given the 10 percent-plus unemployment rate in our county, I truly believe now is the time to set the unions straight. I’m not sure they want to force an economic strike and allow the city to hire replacement workers. I’m sure there would be 10 to 20 qualified applicants for every job in city government and the new, qualified employees would be happy to have a secure paycheck and health and retirement benefits (even with significant employee contributions). It’s time for the mayor and City Council to stop threatening the citizens with fewer core services (police, fire and emergency medical response) and get to the business of finding real solutions to the city’s financial ills. The “Roadmap to Recovery Plan” is the first tangible action plan I have seen from anyone in city government (where is our “strong mayor form of government?”); please tell your colleagues to get off the political stump and get to work.  I cannot begin to tell you how disgusted I get with the amount of time the City Council wastes on stupid measures. One example: condemning Arizona for its immigration law SB 1070. As you heard [Dec. 14] from the 60-plus residents here at NTC tonight, we want action and leadership NOW from our mayor and City Councilmembers. Please accept my thanks for your willingness to step outside your comfort zone and act on behalf of all San Diego residents/taxpayers — not just those lucky enough to have you represent their interests in District 5. I believe you showed us real leadership and vision tonight, and I believe the folks from District 2 are on your side in the upcoming  fiscal challenges ahead. I hope that Kevin [Faulconer] supports this “Roadmap to Recovery” in future City Council votes. We missed him and/or his representation at the meeting tonight to show solidarity for fiscal reform in San Diego.