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So it’s been a while since I posted here – I’ve been busy with traveling, illness, Obama elections, Christmas (yes I still like to use that word rather than Holidays), family etc. I’ve had people ask me what is going on in Santa Clara regarding the old Kaiser site – the Fairfield Residential project or rather what’s the fancy name for it. “Gallery on Kiely” I think that’s its official name – the 900 Kiely Boulevard project.
You know the one – the one where 806 units are slated to be built of which 536 are to be rental properties. And ‘X’ amount of single family residents with those wonderful 10 x 12 backyards. Yes everyone needs a cell block for a back yard don’t you agree?
Anyway forget my tongue in cheek attitude to the project, what annoys me more is the wonderful report that the Santa Clara weekly did on the project. They made the project sound so glowing and so in line with what we need in this wonderful small city that hasn’t got enough housing to house the masses. And the fact that the weekly has never taken the time to sit and talk to residents or if they do they tend to argue how the city is right and they know what is best for us. I guess if I continually advertised in the Santa Clara weekly or had a stake in it they might hear my point of view, but I don’t so they continually show no understanding for the general public. I think this is why Blogging is called ‘freedom of the press’. Because it occurs to me that Freedom of the Press does not occur in the press. In fact I would say that freedom of the press is dictated by who advertises in the press. It’s like those special interest groups that ‘ear mark’ special projects. Sigh…….
This being said brings me to the point of my update on the 900 Kiely site – right now in the city of Santa Clara there are 329 units/apartments/homes/condos/townhomes/single family residents with big/small back yards FOR SALE at the time of writing this.
The average days on market for these properties are 112 days at the time of writing - that’s in effect three months worth of inventory. Wait till that new block town homes with the 10×12 backyards on Lawrence are on the market – and the ones by KB homes near the Scott.
Why not sell these before the city permits more building any more?
I don’t even know how many places are for rent in Santa Clara city but seems to me there is enough for sale. It also seems to me that there is a down turn in the economy – the city needs to be thinking about bringing business back to it rather than building more cell block homes.
I cannot help but think of George Orwell – and reflect on some of his quotes
“Every generation imagines itself to be more intelligent than the one that went before it, and wiser than the one that comes after it. “Or this
“All animals are equal but some animals are more equal than others. “Or this
” If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear. “
I believe it’s time to put a hold on building or at the very least start to listen to what the residents would like. Let’s clean up El Camino, bring back small businesses, focus less on building, and give us Hope! Listen to the average Joe resident please.
I see an article in the San Jose Mercury news today where a group of residents in Palo Alto are holding up a project that involves a developer. The developer is wishing to build a new plaza. The residents have taken legal action to fight this proposed development.
Clearly the ‘little people’ are starting to say enough is enough and looking for ways to fight councils and developers. These residents have taken legal action. To read more about what they are doing here is a link to the article in the SJ Mercury . I think it is worth noting that home owners are seeing that these developments affect their property prices. In this case this development is a plaza with stores and businesses associated with it. It is worth noting that the residents are attempting to completely block this project but that their voices are heard and that they have some say in the feel and look of this project.
The argument that project reflect the cities ordinances and the plan are no long really relevant as I see it. Many years ago when some of these ‘plans’ were set life looked different. We didn’t have many of the issues we have today as we write. We didn’t have 8% unemployment, we didn’t have words like ‘recession and depression’ used in the same sentence. We didn’t have the strength of the internet spreading news and bloggers out there writing opinions and becoming watchdogs of our governments. Many bloggers out there are just individuals with opinions not ‘paid’ employees of newspapers, PR organizations or lobbyists.
Santa Clara city council has argued for a long time that we need more housing for the jobs around the city? What jobs? Sun Microsystems announced two fridays ago that they would be letting 18% of their work force go, Along with Sun, there are other Santa Clara tech companies following suit. Thanksgiving is a time when comes tradional lay off HR feels it’s a time people will be around family and they will be ’safe’ to send them home with out a job. Nice.
I would continue to ask the city rather than focus on more housing focus on updating our section of El Camino – clean up the ’strip’ please. I know it’s very boring to hear me say this again, but I would rather this than a 49ers Stadium or another 806 residential units – such as the Fairfield Residential project. Find some developers that will give us something to be proud of and that brings true business to our city. As we loose tech companies we need to look at other forms of businesses. With the car industry in turmoil some of our Stevens Creek car lots will disappear and with it big dollars from taxes.
Wow wouldn’t it be great to have a time machine. If only HG Wells had developed a Time Machine, wouldn’t it have been a money spinner. There might be also sorts of people who line up to use it on a weekly basis or a daily for that matter. Pick a day and go back and have it look like something else. Sure would be better than Ground Hog Day where you keep doing the same thing over and over. I hated that movie it sent me to sleep, it was more of the same thing over and over. Kind of reminds you of Santa Clara City Council line up, more of the same types over and over. The same faces keep popping up and showing their faces.
So last night just in case the city didn’t get it right the first time they voted on Caserta’s request to set the record straight that he had not voted nor would he vote again on the (oops that’s perhaps the wrong thing to say because he and a few others claim he never did original vote) on having his property classed Williamson Act Tax exempt or rather as I understand it very little tax exempt. The whole ‘rectification’ of the situation last night begs the question as to why do it in the first place – was there some feeling that things were not Kosher to start with. I bet an attorney could call this vote and admission of guilty. Whatever the case is it certainly makes an interesting read in the SJ Mercury News today – so one day when we all see the video make by a SC resident of the original vote on say something like YouTube we will know official what heck happened.
copyright Letters from Silicon Valley 2008
This coming Tuesday is a regular meeting for City Council at the Santa Clara Council Chambers starting 7pm at 1500 Warburton Avenue Santa Clara.
I just went to the website to look at what is on the agenda for this week as I believe that there are some residents who have requested an extention of reading the Draft EIR for the Gallery at Central Park – which is the 900 Benton, Fairfield Residential, old Kaiser site development. These residents have petitioned the city for an extension to read the draft EIR because it is quite extensive. The request is in view of the holiday season and the elections just gone that they need extra time to read this report.
Copies of the report can be obtained by going to the reference desk at the Santa Clara Library upstairs. They have copies if you want to understand the impact of this development on the local community. It discusses trees, transportation, business – you name it it’s there. There are also images of the proposed project. If you like a “prison cell block” look in your neighborhood you will be happy. If you are hoping for something with a mission flavor or a Rivermark feel to it, forget it, it’s nothing like that. More like large cynder block concrete mass construction or known in the industry as ‘budget buildings’. The report also shows you which trees are planned for the logging mill, of which I would say MOST! Darn it I guess the birds and the local wildlife will have to move out for a time, as will a lot of the local residents while they build this puppy over the next five years or so.
Now I’m hoping I’m right about this being on the Agenda, because as of 11.25am today the City Council agenda was not on line. And if my memory serves me right, they should have been on line a week before the council meets but Santa Clara might do it differently.
Congratulations to Mr Obama on a fabulous victory. His speech was a most gracious and exhilarating speech. Though I have memories of Kennedy, I felt Obama spoke far more eloquently and touched the hearts of all voters not just Democrats but he reached out to Republicans as well. A true moment in history, right before our eyes. May his tenure be one of grandeur and success and may the country restore it’s dignity in the world.
Jamie McLeod, Jamie Mathews, Will Kennedy all won their seats. Congratulations to them all. To view the final results you can go to this link. Here you will find how much they won by. Mr Moore’s results are there too - it would be interesting to learn how many peole wrote in Karen Hardy – just out of pure interest.
I had been waiting on publishing this blog because I was waiting to get email from various candidates and view their blog/websites but it seems that only one candidate has updated their website with the result and that is Jamie McLeod. I nearly feel like adding and of course there because it seems that Jamie is more on the beat than most. Anyway congratulations to the winners may their judgements be honest ones and not tainted by endorsement or associations.
Scott Herhold of the San Jose Mercury News each year gives awards for campaign ads. He dishes out trash cans for political hit pieces, and bouquets for well done pieces.
He awards three (3) Garbage Cans to the hit piece that took the side of challenger Chuck Blair, by the Santa Clara Police Officer’s Association against councilwoman Jamie McLeod. Personally I think it should have got four but he gave four to a Vietnamese-American group associated with the LIttle Saigon movement that did a hit piece on Councilman Dave Cortese who is running against Sunnyvale Councilman Otto Lee. I trust Herhold if he says that, that ad deserves 4 garbage cans I’m sure it does.
Clearly the hit piece done on these two candidates warranted the attention of the greater community otherwise Mr Herhold would not have written about it. Local city politics here is definatley more intense and there seems to be more at stake if you win the race. Which begs the question Why? What is it that have people so hell bent on being on a city council? What do they get out of it? A gravy train? Junkets? I don’t know what the answer is? Perhaps is it civic duty? Civic pride? a Vision for something ….
and if it is a vision then let us hope that those that get elected in Santa clara this time can earn some bouquets from the residents and that they look at issues like
Cleaning El Camino in Santa Clara,
Planting trees along El Camino
decrease the number of high rise buildings planned
Give us a proper downtown area
and start to listen to what residents want
Once again I say support Jamie because she appears to be one of the few current council people who has listened to residents and asked questions. She is a thinking person, and I believe that there are others out there running in this election that representing thinking people, such as Brian Lowery and Mary Emerson.
©Letters From Silicon Valley 2008
So last night was Halloween and though I was home late from work I missed many of the early trick or treaters, though I think the weather kep peole at bay. I hope the weather will not stop people voting on Tuesday or the unwillingness to take an hour out of their day to vote. I saw that Google is endorsing a plan for their employees to remember to vote. They will be sending mail out to their staff to remind them on Tuesday.
So as we go into the final days of this election it’s worth reflecting on the race and what I have observed:
The candidates that have dropped by personally and door knocked are: Mary Emerson, Brian Lowery and Jamie McLeod.
I have seen two mud slinging postcards against Jamie Mcleod which totally turned me off. The language on those cards were particularly disgusting.
I’ve not had a visit from: Bouza, Kennedy, Blair, O’donnell, Moore or Matthews – I guess they have been too busy elsewhere
I’ve had voicemail from the Mayor and someone else at city hall endorsing some candidates
I’ve seen ‘paid’ for endorsement from Blair and O’donnell
I’ve caught: Bouza, Blair and McLeod on comcast TV.
I’ve saw the San Jose Mercury News endorse Jamie McLeod, do an expose on the who called whom regarding the Bouza and Moore, and a article about Mr Lowery’s suit expense.
I’ve not heard from Moore but I have spoken to the Write in Candidate Karen Hardy that is running against Mr Moore.
I walked the gauntlet at the Wine and Art Festival: O’donnel, McLeod, Kennedy, Bouza, Lowery, Emerson – and saw them talking to locals.
I’ve seen the issues be: 49ers stadium and the more and more proposed high rise buildings. Though the Santa Clara weekly feels that the tight run closed ranks city council is not an issue the San Jose Mercury News did pick up that it is an issue and a concern that one family has for a number of years managed to control the Santa Clara City council. I too am alarmed that this has been the case and the fact that it is always pooh poohed as a non issue, which again then makes it an issue.
I noted that Kennedy was not endorsed by the Mayor – which surprises me but she didn’t endorse McLeod either. Why is that?
So if you have any questions outstanding and feel you haven’t touched base with a candidate and need to learn a little more about them before you vote remember Monday Night City Hall all the candidates will be gathered. You can hear them for the final say and if you have a concern about ethics you can have your say as well.
©Letters From Silicon Valley 2008
Oh dear oh dear, here we go the mud is getting thicker in the campaign races for Santa Clara city council. Most of the mud flinging seems to be at Ms Jamie McLeod for her supposed record on city council. Wow freedom of speech really can take a twist at election time. I think we could call it freedom of verbal abuse. If some of the written ’shouting’ were to be done in the streets of Santa Clara we could expect residence to call the police and complain about it. But here in this fine country we can only be told it’s our first amendment right to freedom of speech.
Never mind, it will all end soon and we can get back to ‘normality’. But before we do that I have to write about the latest laugh I saw. One of my neighbors shared the republicans voters guide as per the California Voter guide printed in Torrance. It gives the following notice to voters:
“This document was prepared by California Voter guide, not an official political party organization. APPEARANCE in this mail does not necessarily imply endorsement of other candidates or ballot measures in this mailer. Appearance is a PAID FOR and AUTHORIZED by EACH CANDIDATE and ballot measure which is designated by an * (astrix).”
So guess who paid to be on this guide? Mr Chuck Blair – paid for and supported by the firefighters & police officers. This means that firefighters paid for it – I thought Mr Blair was a registered Democrat – what will his party think of this – oh maybe it doesn’t matter after all it’s non-partisan running for local government. Or is it????
In any case this flier certainly a little nicer than the ‘hate’ campaign that has been going on out their against Jamie. Mr Blair has sent a few fliers criticizing Jamie but still we don’t really know what his qualifications are for being our Representative on council are? All we know is that he “hates” her more than he cares to tell us about why he would make a good council person? Oh and we know that he is pro the stadium because it would be a good thing for Santa Clara but not why it would be a good thing. Attacking and misconstruing someones record is not the nicest thing to do.
I love the piece that the San Jose Mercury News did yesterday “ignore sleazy hit pieces, vote for Independent McLeod” page 14a. Even the editorial piece says that normally they don’t come out and speak on how to vote on local candidates – they felt that there was a need to say something about Jamie McLeod and the fact that she is not part of the Santa Clara political in crowd.
©Letters From Silicon Valley 2008
So in reading the Santa Clara, the Mission City blog I caught up on the lies being spread on Jamie McLeod. Please read these stories being spread by one of Jamie’s opponents. It’s a shame because if its true that person seems like such a nice guy, I think he probably has a heart of gold. I bet he’d be the first to help out a family member in strife or be willing to pitch in at a school event.
On his free 5 minute comcast interview he said he had no endorsements from large organizations but only local people. What that means is he didn’t go to the parties to ask for endorsements like Jamie McLeod or Mary Emerson did. Why not? Well as I understand it having talked to Mary Emerson about how this works, you have a questionnaire you fill in that the party sends you and they ask for your feed back on how you stand on issues. I’m wondering if that person couldn’t align himself with a party because he just didn’t want to be held more accountable? Food for thought, or perhaps he’s just not a very politically minded person and doesn’t quite understand the whole depth of what’s really going on here.
Though I’m not one for endorsements and I’m certainly not swayed by them – I couldn’t give a rats tail if Mayor Mahan called me up and told me to vote for him. Which she actually did. It made me think why isn’t Ms Mahan more hands off when it comes to endorsing?? I’ve learnt that in politics and in any committee you run it’s always good to have some opposition. You might actually gain a new perspective to what it is you are trying to accomplish. It’s kind of boring have a committee of completely like minded people. I think that there is a name for that. It’s called stacking the odds. Sure the odds are in your favor, but what if your favor is biased. It certainly seems at times that the city council in Santa Clara is biased to one point of view on certain issues. They certainly haven’t heard the residents when it comes to high density, traffic concerns, clean up El Camino.
It’s time for a change, as I’ve said before and Jamie has been the forerunner in Santa Clara politics who emulates change. Let’s have Jamie McLeod, Mary Emerson, Brian Lowery and write in Candidate Karen Hardy on our ballots and in local government this year. Bring in the Change that Santa Clara city council needs.
So the word is out the 49ers issue is causing concern for some voters. Finally some people are starting to ask questions about why and how this affects them. They are asking candidates and wondering how the dollars and “sense” of having a stadium in our city works. What’s interesting as the campaign gets closer to election day the knives come out. Well isn’t that to be expected? Aren’t we seeing the same type of dirty tactics in the National news?
Haven’t you been reading the news about the Obama / McCleain election. That campaign is also starting to sling mud. I figured once they started flinging mud, it too, would start at a city level. So apparentlythe heavy hitters are out to sling mud at Jamie McLeod and her stand on ‘let’s know the numbers’ before we decide if it is financially a good idea for our city to have a stadium. My parents always told me ‘don’t spend more than you have’. So the question still remains: do we have the money to even build this stadium? And what do we as a city get out of it? Nothing probably, not that I expect anything from it but I do expect responsible decisions.
If there are sweet heart deals to be had out of this from developers could they please spend some money on cleaning up our part of El Camino – after our part looks like it got stuck in time – the 50’s, maybe the 60’s. Or perhaps we could get the developers to put into funding some of the elementary schools – after all we are gong to start bursting at the seams here. Or perhaps we could get a downtown that resembles a downtown and not a hotsh potch of something slapped together at the last moment. Maybe we could have an arts program for Grafitti artists? Maybe we could have a current 24/7 study of our traffic issues, needs and wants – especially on El Camino, Kiely & Lawrence. Maybe we could have a halt on all new development till we take stock of current developments and where they are in relation to filling the supposed need this city has for housing. Maybe we should reconsider how many people can live in a ‘confined’ space? Maybe we could stop trying to fix it – when we need to actually need to stop and assess ‘it’. Maybe we could consider that there is something not right with the current ‘majority’ run city council.
Make your vote count and think about the real issues: the stadium, the plan for more high density, the lack of a real downtown, the unwillingness of planning to hear residents issues about more housing in this area, the traffic concerns on Lawrence and El Camino. I’d love to tell you how to vote for but I won’t. I’ll suggest you think twice before casting a ballot for the ‘old regime’ and start thinking outside the box and consider voting for people that have been willing to be outside the favored officials. So if you feel you are willing to have a change consider anyone that has either spoken out against the majority stack holders of Santa Clara or is not affiliated with them. There are quite a few of them: Jamie McLeod, Mario Bouza, Mary Emerson, Brian Lowery, Cirian McDonnel, write in candidate Karen Hardy, – each of these candidates are not part of the anointed party. They all have their own twist on their different issues and some are perhaps not as strong as others but at the very least they are running against the ‘family and friends ticket’. It’s about time Santa Clara City Council looked like a real city council and had more Jamie McLeod’s sitting ‘up on stage’ listening to your average Plumber Joe.
©Letters From Silicon Valley 2008
