You are currently browsing the daily archive for May 16th, 2008.
One of the things that riled me at the Santa Clara City council meeting was the time limit that the city sets on ‘visitors’ to the meeting – meanwhile members of the council have no limits on asking questions but on the other hand residents and developers. This was a first for me – and plus if you have spoken once on the topic my understanding is you cannot speak again! Oh my not even a fair debate. Perhaps Mayor Mahan is trying to prevent this type of action – after all God Forbid any of us residents speaking out against one of our elected officials or city employees. After all I suspect we do not think for ourselves, actually we probably don’t think a great deal. Maybe Santa Clara is heading in the same direction of Morro Bay
Naturally I’m not suggesting the Santa Clara residents emulate this young man but rather learn from this and realize that frustration builds up and at some point Santa Clara residents will say enough is enough to their elected official. And I pray that those voting in the forth coming election they see what private individuals as myself saw in the contempt that Council men and women can have. I wouldn’t dare say that Dominic Caserta or Patrician Mahan or any others in the Santa Clara city council have contempt for us tax payers. After all, it seems Dominic Caserta would rather take money from interested parties that clearly could assist him in swaying his vote. It reminds me of the influence the tobacco companies have had at a Government level. Shame shame shame.
Perhaps Santa Clara should take heed of the city council meeting in Morro Bay -
here is a resident is exercising her first amendment right to freedom of speech. Make sure you watch this to the end because I love the Mayor and council person exercising their right to freedom of speech! You gotta love the internet, youtube and our First Amendment Right!
©Letters From Silicon Valley 2008
Tonight I got a call from a survey company to ask me a few questions, which I soon determined were in regards to the “Spare the Air” Campaign. I was asked questions along the line did I know about Spare the Air – I felt like educating the gal a little about how when I lived in Hong Kong Spare the Air was a big campaign and a well known campaign and started by some American Expats. But I decided it better to just listen to the questions and answer where I could.
Today the weather was in the 90’s and I had a full program tacking a client out showing houses. I must have made 30 trips no less getting in and out, driving up and down across the Bay Area. From Santa Clara to Cupertino, from Cupertino to Mountain View and back again ending up in Los Altos. No spare the air day for me! In fact no ways of really using public transport.
I felt like saying to the interviewer “What’s public transport?”. Coming from Melbourne Australia and having lived in Sydney for a time I know what public transport is like. One night in Sydney I took the Ferry to work, walked to one pub after work, walked down to Circular Quay – took the train to North Sydney had dinner at another pub, jumped on another ferry hoped on the bus at the terminal that took me up to the London Pub for a night cap. Now that is what I call public transport! The bus was waiting for the ferry to come into the terminal ….. sweet.
I have it in my mind that sometime in the 50’s the American politicians were given incentives by the oil companies to give away public transport and develop freeways and highways. Aaahhh which brings me back to my current favorite topic – Santa Clara city council! Do you know that it seems that the city is refusing to look at the public transportation issues. I read an article recently by a local Santa Clara resident who complained there was no easy way to get to San Jose Airort from Santa Clara using public transport. Might I add from my house going the backroads, i.e. not using 101, it takes 10 mins. It took the resident over an 1 hour to work wonder Santa Clara City transport system.
And so I say to you – can we here in American truly say “Spare the Air” – I don’t think so! And have any of the city Council Men and Women (other than I suspect Jamie Mcleod) used a bus? Major Mahan when was the last time you used a bus in Santa Clara – have you taken it in the evening? Pat Kolstad would you allow one of your children ride the Bart after dark? Mr Caserta how do most your Santa Clara High school students travel to and from school?
When I lived in Australia I didn’t own a car until I was 25, there was no reason to have a car because public transport was exceptional and I dare say it still is. Let’s raise the bar and start thinking outside the box or in this case the CAR!
©Letters From Silicon Valley 2008
Wow I’m doing some research on my new pet project! Don’t you love a project. I nearly called this blog “So you think your XXXX doesn’t Stink” but I had to restrain myself because I don’t think the Santa Clara City Council would like to hear that about themselves.
You have to wonder what was going on in their minds though when this resident brought up the secret meetings and the documents that the city council had been hiding from residents about the proposed 49ers Stadium. And though I’m on the fence where it comes to the Stadium I can now start to understand why so many residents feel that there is something wrong in the council. As I said before I smell a rat but actually I smell something else and the odor is quite strong – blue cheese? perhaps it’s a broken sewer line? or just the mere fact that there are some politicians who have let the power get to them and the carrots that are being hung before their noses are affecting their judgement.
©Letters From Silicon Valley 2008
