Bakersfield City Councilman Ken Weir yesterday submitted his official response to the proponents' statement of why he should be recalled. Recall organizer Will Winn has now come up with a response to the response:

The residents of the Third Ward are being given a tremendous opportunity in this defining moment of Bakersfield History to recall our current Councilman, Ken Weir.  It is a sad occasion when a recall needs to happen, but in light of Mr. Weir’s past illegal actions and ongoing efforts to replace a fine outstanding Chairman of the Planning Commission, we are compelled to urgently circulate petitions to place Weir’s recall on the November ballot.

Now, Mr. Weir and his political detractors are trying to deceive you, the voters of the Third Ward, once again.  They are calling our effort to recall Weir a special interest manipulation by the unions and environmental extremists.  NOTHING COULD BE FARTHER FROM THE TRUTH.  The fact is, that there is a large and diverse group of voters and contributors in the Third Ward, and ALL parts of our City, even former political adversaries, who have now come together in unity to work together to remove the unsatisfactory leadership and representation of Ken Weir.  In his desperation, Weir is trying to disparage and disenfranchise legitimate voters of his Ward, and labels people with his condescending attitude.  If we were to believe Mr. Weir, then everyone else is the problem, everyone else is distorting the truth -- the newspaper, the unions, the environmetalists, anti-growth, anti-family, anti-private property rights, and so on.  This recall is not about “unions” and “environmentalists” or an outstanding Planning Commissioner or anyone else.  It is about an unaccountable, autocratic, arrogant and unapologetic Councilman who continues to serve his own interests and special interest groups in the name of “personal property rights.”  We ask, “Whose personal property rights are you defending, Mr. Weir?  Big corporations, developers and wealthy land owners?  It certainly is not the 400 homeowners in West Park who were deprived of their property rights when you voted to turn their homes into a freeway!”