Over the years, some outrageous and bizarre statements have been made during Oceanside City Council meetings, but on the evening of July 8, the most egregious one was made by Mayor Jim Wood.

When the vote on item No. 12 did not go his way, a threat was made. Expressing his extreme disappointment, and with Councilwoman Esther Sanchez concurring in the background, Mayor Wood made this threat, and I quote, "No matter what they think, they've sent a message to public safety. I hope they don't need medical service or police service in the future, I hope."

You would expect this type of statement from a spoiled child, not the mayor of your city.

Item No. 12 was a list of concessions proposed by the Oceanside Firefighters Association and the Oceanside Fire Management Association that would help to reinstate a battalion chief and two fire captain positions for a one-year period. It would still require an additional $45,000 a month from the city to reinstate the positions that are currently vacant. The proposal by the two associations' membership should be acknowledged: Each member is giving up $3,000 for one year for the senior positions -- not an easy thing to do in these trying times.

Every family I know, including my own, is making sacrifices to survive the downturned economy, and I appreciate the effort made by the associations. When the economy rebounds, I'm sure positions will be reinstated and salary and benefit packages will increase.

The item was pulled from the Consent Calendar by Councilman Jack Feller, and his motion was to not reinstate the positions and continue the item to a budget workshop in September. The city could not identify where the $45,000 would come from, the state has yet to advise cities what other funds it may take, and our declining revenues already account for an unbalanced budget of $3 million to $4 million. His motion was seconded by Councilman Jerry Kern and passed with Councilman Rocky Chavez being the third vote.

After the item was voted on, Mayor Wood made the following bone-chilling threat and I wonder how far-reaching it was meant to be: "No matter what they think, they've sent a message to public safety. I hope they don't need medical service or police service in the future, I hope."

Does that include family, friends, people who support the councilmen -- and why hasn't public safety responded to assure us it would never retaliate against any official or citizen by refusing or delaying safety services? Threats made against people in today's society are taken very seriously. Children are expelled from school for making threats; people are detained and sometimes arrested in airports for making comments that suggest harming others.

Mayor Wood should explain his threatening statement and offer an apology to the councilmen, their families and the public. The public safety leadership should take this opportunity to assure the public that it does not act on threats made by the mayor.

MARY AZEVEDO is a Oceanside-based political consultant and has worked with Councilmen Feller and Kern and other officials at various times.