2 Jack Gordy
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| George Tuley/Caller-Times file |
| Jack Gordy has been fighting City Hall and has won a few, proving that it can be done. |
Thanks to Jack Gordy, copies of police reports now cost $2
instead of $5. Gordy, a 64-year-old retired mechanic, has proved
that you can fight City Hall and win at least three times. The
first time was in February of 1976 when he noticed city employees
taking home city-owned vehicles at night. At the time, the city
handed out nearly 350 car allowances, he said. Now it's only
the city manager and city secretary.
Since March of 1997, Gordy has persisted in dogging
city code enforcement officials over what he sees as their selective
enforcement of sign ordinances. Gordy's grudge began when the
city sent him an official notice warning him that he would be
fined up to $1,000 a day if he didn't remove a handmade wooden
sign he had chained to the telephone pole alongside his shop
on Laredo Street.
This year, it was the police reports. Acting on
a complaint filed by Gordy, the state General Services Commission
sent the city a letter admonishing it for charging $2 for reports
that didn't have confidential information blacked out.
Gordy lost a campaign for the City Council's District
2 seat last spring to incumbent Javier Colmenero. Some might
count that among his losses, but Gordy said it was a victory.
"I don't consider that a loss because 2003 is not
that far away."
Wins
Losses