Your article on Councilman Catania (“Bloody Right,” 5/21) nicely summed up why he is appreciated by such a diverse spectrum of interest groups in the District. It appears that the only people that have serious complaints about him are entrenched bureaucrats who are now angry that they are being held accountable for the results of their jobs and liberal activist groups that thrive off poverty and are dismayed that money won’t continue to be thrown at them.

One thing that went unmentioned in the profile, however, was constituent service. A few weeks ago, in the midst of the tax-cut debate, I sent a joint e-mail to Catania and Mayor Williams. In stark contrast to Williams’ office, which never even acknowledged my comments, Catania’s chief of staff left a phone message for me within hours of my submission thanking me for my comments and encouraging me to continue to contact his office with future concerns. As a District taxpayer, I appreciate having a councilmember who responds to me and isn’t worried about ruffling the feathers of his get-along, go-along colleagues on the council.

West End

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