Since our "esteemed" City Council in all its infinite wisdom voted against Home Depot being built in our fair city, after initially voting for accepting the planning commission's Environmental Impact Report that would allow Home Depot to proceed- sounds like a politician I know who ran for president who voted for it, before he voted against it- I think it's only fair and equitable that the city pay back all of Home Depot's expenses.

After all, proceeding on good faith and the council's original approval of the EIR, Home Depot, which had spent $215,000 for the creation of the EIR, $12,000 for the development permit process, a landmark tree permit of $640, etc. etc. etc., are certainly entitled to recoup their monies.

And to help minimize the impact on the city budget, I suggest that we suspend the monthly stipend that's paid to the council members who recently voted against Home Depot, and instead use that money to reimburse Home Depot for the above mentioned expenses until all those expenses have been repaid.

And doing so would no doubt negate the costs of litigation if Home Depot decides to sue the city for malfeasance.

Also, maybe since the money would come out of their pockets and not the taxpayers, the council members wouldn't be so eager to let other people or companies lose and waste their money the next time a similar situation arises. Bob Meisterling Thousand Oaks