Council members should tighten their purse strings

After reading the article "Health benefits can be permanent for council members," I was appalled at the benefits the council members and dependents receive for a minimum five years of service. After only five years, they get lifetime benefits for medical, dental and vision, which is 100 percent coverage paid by the city of Thousand Oaks in addition to the $19,000 they receive annually and other benefits.

Remember, too, they usually have a regular full-time job that itself may have benefits and a retirement program. This isn't bad for a part- time job.

Why is it that the people who risk their lives on a daily basis- like the military, police and firefighters- when they retire, they still have to pay for benefits for their families and when the employee dies the spouse then loses those benefits?

These Americans protect and serve the citizens of our country and city for 20 or 30 years, and not part time!

I know that some City Council members work hard, but others just work for reelection. They certainly don't work harder than the military, police and firefighters, and don't deserve this compensation.

If Tom Glancy and Jacqui Irwin are reelected, they'll be eligible for the benefits for themselves and their spouses. Glancy wasn't elected to the City Council in the first place, he was handselected and appointed by Andy Fox, Irwin and Dennis Gillette to replace Ed Masry after he passed away. They said a special election to find Masry's replacement would have been too expensive.

Is it too late for the other City Council members to put a stop to wasteful spending? Are their decisions being influenced by a lifetime of benefits? The City Council has spent enough money at a time when money is tight. It must be nice to live the high life at the expense of the constituents.

Isn't it time that the members of the City Council demonstrate the type of fiscal leadership and responsibility that they were elected for? That's what would be good for T.O. Roberta McNeely Thousand Oaks