Towns facing steep hike in costs for services of Sheriff’s Office. Page 5

M A Y 6 , 2 0 0 9 w w w . T h e A l m a n a c O n l i n e . c o m

T H E H O M E TOW N N E W S PA P E R F O R M E N L O PA R K , AT H E RTO N , P O RTO L A VA L L E Y A N D WO O D S I D ET H E H O M E TOW N N E W S PA P E R F O R M E N L O PA R K , AT H E RTO N , P O RTO L A VA L L E Y A N D WO O D S I D E

| VO L . 4 4 N O. 3 6

Rain doesn’t dampen spirits at Woodside’s annual parade

–Page 12––Page 12–

The Almanac newsroom has a new phone number:

854-2690Please use that number only to

contact news staff.

Rain doesn’t dampen spiriiits Rain doesn’t dampen spiriiiitsat W d id ’ a al a adat W d id ’ a al a ad

No grayNo gray on on May DayMay Day

2 ■ The Almanac ■ May 6, 2009

Selling Northern California's Finest Properties c a s h i n . c o m

CCASHINASHIN C COMPANYOMPANYMENLO PARK (650) 614-3500 PORTOLA VALLEY (650) 529-2900 WOODSIDE (650) 529-1000 LOS ALTOS (650) 948-8050

PALO ALTO (650) 853-7100 SAN CARLOS (650) 598-4900 SAN MATEO (650) 343-3700 BURLINGAME (650) 340-9688

■ ATHERTON ■French Country style estate home on a 1.32 acre lot on one of West Atherton’s most desirable streets. Main house features 6BD/5.5BA with grand LR & DR & a gourmet kitchen opening to a family room. 1BR/1BA guest house, sparkling pool, expansive lawns & gorgeous gardens. Outstanding Menlo Park School District.Elizabeth Daschbach $8,995,000(650) 614-3500Elegant, custom traditional home on a private acre in sought after W. Atherton neighborhood. 5BD/4.5BA; tastefully remodeled throughout by the designer/owner with uncompromising attention to quality & detail. Lush mature garden, expansive lawns, salt water pool & spa. Elizabeth Daschbach $6,295,000(650) 614-3500This impressive two-story Colonial Style 4BR/3.5BA home is located in one of the most desired neighborhoods. Beautifully landscaped, level grounds w/fenced backyard & room for potential pool/tennis court.Tony Fregoso $3,495,000(650) 529-2900

■ EAST PALO ALTO ■3BR/2BA single story home featuring a family room with a dining area, eat-in kitchen & hardwood floors. Attached garage w/ an electric door opener. Gas heater, laundry area in the garage & a shingle exterior with a composition roof.John Marshall $321,000(650) 614-3500

■ EMER ALD HILLS ■Nicely located with quality materials & great floor plan. Three year new 2-level custom home located on a private 1 acre parcel. Phenomenal view, spacious 5BR/5.5BA, study or den & playroom. Beautiful chef’s kitchen, a LR that opens to a lg deck for entertaining, formal DR & Mstr Ste w/bonus room.Tata Vahdatpour $2,645,000(650) 614-3500Remodeled 4 BD/4+ BA home with gourmet kitchen that features custom cabin-etry & top-grade appliances. A master retreat with elegant bath & a sun deck that overlooks an indoor pool. Doyle Rundell $2,150,000(650) 614-35003BR/2.5 home situated on a large lot next to Handley Rock Park. Features a large updated kitchen that flows to the family room, which is surrounded by outdoor decks. The living room has a woodburning fireplace & there is also a separate dining room.Dana Cappiello $1,050,000(650) 529-1000

■ FOSTER CITY ■A Sailors Dream!!! Dock, Deck & Home all on the water in Foster City. 4BR/2.5BA home has a newly redone kitchen & is waiting for you. Features a formal entry, hardwood & tile flooring, wall-to-wall carpeting & a waterfront lot. Other ameni-ties include ceiling fan(s), double paned windows & an eat-in kitchen.John Marshall $1,169,000(650) 614-3500

■ HALF MOON BAY ■Situated on the 1st Fairway of the “HMB Golf Links” located close to the Ritz Carlton & Walking Trails. Easy commute to Silicon Valley or San Francisco. Picturesque view must be seen to be believed. 4th room for den or office/guest. Judy Chow $1,630,000(650) 614-3500Spectacular views from this lot!!! Complete with Plans & Permits. Planned “Green” home with separate/permitted unit over an additional 2 car carport. Katherine Clark $589,000(650) 614-3500

■ LOS ALTOS ■Newly constructed lovely Capecod crafted with mastery! 5BR/4BA+2(.5BA), one master suite, state of the art kitchen w/breakfast nook, 2 fireplaces, separate study & family room. A Must See! Oak Lo Offered at $2,495,000 (650) 948-8050 Look no further! This charming updated Ranch style home has all the modern comforts you are looking for & much more! Private backyard with park like setting & serene cul-de-sac location. New paint & carpet. Ready for the new owners! Victor Platonoff $1,495,000(650) 948-8050 Rarely available ground floor unit with large landscaped patio. 2BR/2BA, new carpet & paint, fireplace in living room & close to downtown. A must see!Victor Platonoff $599,000(650) 948-8050

■ LOS ALTOS HILLS ■Dramatic new construction is ideally located in Los Altos Hills. Living area incl: 6BR, incl a sep. guest ste or Ofc, 5BA + (2).5BA, LR & DR, 2 FR & Grmt kitch. Amenities incl: a media Rm, a recreation Rm, wine tasting/DR & much more! Farideh Zamani $9,800,000(650) 948-8050

■ MENLO PARK ■Exceptional 5BD/4.5BA remodeled home on desirable cul-de-sac. Incredible gourmet kitchen; 2 FR’s-1 upstairs, 1 downstairs; elegant living & dining rooms; luxurious Mstr Suite; lg separate guest/au-pair suite w/kitchenette; large sunny lot; Las Lomitas Schools. Elizabeth Daschbach $2,695,000(650) 614-3500 3BR/2.5BA gorgeous current remodeled home. Best Sharon Heights value. Professionally landscaped. Hot Tub, flat lawn area & beautiful decks perfect for entertaining. Very private yard. Wonderful family home.Suzanne Scott $1,789,000(650) 614-3500An excellent opportunity in Linfield Oaks. 3BR/2BA home w/large backyard & a garage-converted play-room. The home is move-in ready & offers room to expand. Nino Gaetano $1,295,000(650) 529-29003BD/1BA charming bungalow on a large lot. Granite kitchen with a wonder-fully large backyard. Many upgrades, including newer windows, as well bathroom plumbing & electrical. Additional features include hardwood floors, a laundry room & an eat-in kitchen to make this a special home. There is room to grow!!!Kristin Cashin $839,000(650) 614-3500 Sophisticated remodeled 2BR/2BA one-level condo in prime location. Abundant natural light, hardwood floors, recessed lighting & fireplace. Convenient to Stanford & Hwy 280. Mary Jo McCarthy $775,000(650) 614-3500Gorgeous, sophisticated remodeled condo in Prime Menlo Park neighborhood with Las Lomitas Schools. 2BR/2BA w/garage. Light & bright, spacious open floor plan that overlooks lawn & gardens. Close to Stanford, shopping 280 & more. Suzanne Scott $699,000(650) 614-3500

■ PALO ALTO ■4-Plex available in Prime Professorville location. Camille Eder $1,650,000(650) 614-3500

■ PORTOLA VALLEY ■Prime, close in 2.5 acre Westridge view lot, ½ mile from Alpine Rd. Spectacular views to Bay, Mt Diablo & Southeast mountains. Site & Architectural plans approved by Town for 4 BD/4BA home. Minutes to Ladera shopping & Hwy 280. Sewer is at the lot line.Elizabeth Daschbach $3,300,000(650) 614-3500Newly constructed in 2001. 3BR/2.5BA craftsman designed home features qual-ity finished & beautiful appointments, including a European styled gourmet kit, hrdwd flrs & and an office alcove. Large media entertainment room & a great floorplan. A natural setting landscape offering beautifully crafted stonewalls & patios.Steve Gray $1,595,000(650) 529-1000

■ REDWOOD CITY ■Fantastic 5BR/3.5BA home between Woodside Rd & Selby Ln. Include hrdwd flrs, crown molding & fresh paint making it move-in ready. Features a detached bonus rm that can be used as a game rm, office, gym or could easily be converted to an in-law unit. Easy access to Hwys 280 & 101.Cristina Harper $899,000(650) 614-3500

■ REDWOOD SHORES ■Beautiful 3BR/3BA with large deck and hot tub. New paint, stove & microwave. Must see to appreciate!Joann Bedrossian $980,000(650) 614-3500Light & bright spacious 3BR/2.5BA private end unit. LR w/high ceilings, recessed lights & views of the water. Mstr BR features Walk-In Closet, soaking tub & dual sinks. Steps away from boat dock.Lilly Chow $699,000(650) 614-3500

■ SAN CARLOS ■A superb layout goes with this 4BR/2BA Mediterranean offering a bay view enhanced by mtn vistas. Desirable amenities include patio, family room & deck. Two-car garage. Enjoy the move-up & magic of this lovely home.Michael S. Teymouri Offered at $1,198,000(650) 948-8050Stunning remodeled Marbella plan at La Ventana complex in San Carlos Hills fea-tures a unique open floor plan. The well-lit end unit offers executive living w/2BR plus office/den & lrg loft area. Newly Remodeled "Tuscan" kitchen and more!!!!Brendan Royer $874,950(650) 614-3500

■ SAN JOSE ■Wonderful Almaden Valley 4BR/3.5BA home. Lots of space for entertaining & huge eat-in kitchen. Expansive Master Suite w/dual walk-in closets. Also features a library, dual paned windows, hardwood floors, tile & 2-car garage. Geoff Hoffman $897,000(650) 464-30224BR/2.5 remodeled Townhouse, with patio & 1-Car Garage. W San Jose with Cupertino Schools. Linda Samaha $575,000(650) 614-3500

■ SAN MATEO ■Charming 2-story Aaragon home is move-in ready. 3BR, plus bonus office & sitting area, as well as 2 Full BA’s. Remodeled Kitchen & Baths with Granite counters, recessed lighting & French doors leading to a spacious deck/backyard. Bonus multi-use garden cottage. Don’t want to miss this one!Meegan Ferrari $1,299,000(650) 614-3500Gorgeous newly remodeled in 2008 home. 3BR/2.25 BA, solar panels, granite counters & triple paned Pella windows w/ enclosed blinds throughout. Hrdwd flrs, designer paint & news interior doors throughout the house. Brand new landscaping & fences front & back. Additional features include a fireplace in FR, central A/C & ceiling fan(s).Lisa Fitzpatrick $998,000(650) 614-3500One level 2BR/2BA spacious penthouse located on the top floor of a 4-story build-ing. Close to downtown shops & transportation.Enayat Boroumand $700,000(650) 529-2900One of the largest 2BR/2BA units at Woodlake! This condo has new carpet, new paint, & is clean & bright. Additional features include a Walk-In Pantry & Walk-In Closets. Contemporary style, with a Dining L, Breakfast Bar & extra storage. John Marshall $485,000(650) 614-3500

■ SANTA CLAR A ■5BR/3BA + Den Single Family Home. Features Granite Kitchen Counters, design-er paint, family room, 2 fireplaces & ceiling fans. Great cul-de-sac location.Linda Samaha $895,000(650) 614-3500 Mediterranean 3BR/2.5BA Townhome. High ceilings, light & bright interior. Kit w/Granite & stainless steel appliances. Attached 2/car gar & AC. “El Camino to Lincoln to Clay” Paul Skrabo $785,000650-529-2900

■ SANTA CRUZ ■Excellent opportunity to build the estate of your dreams.Susan Furstman $1,195,000650-529-2900

■ SAR ATOGA ■All of the best elements of a genteel life style are realized in this wonderful 2BR/2BA townhome. Chef's kitchen, dramatic ceilings, private courtyard & 2 car garage. Close to town, shopping & freeway access. Victor Platonoff Offered at $598,888(650) 948-8050

■ SUNNYVALE ■Desirable, Upgraded End-Unit. Spacious & bright 2BR/ 2.5BA home w/two master suites. Granite counters in kit & real hrdwd flrs on ground flr. Attached two-car gar w/plenty of storage space. Roberta & Jan Offered at $495,000(650) 948-8050

■ WOODSIDE ■A Serene Sylvan Setting is waiting for you. This 4BR/3.5BA home is nested on 4+ Acres. A secluded Guest house w/2BR/2BA & full kit. awaits your guests. A 2 stall barn, tack & feedroom near the riding ring. A black bottom pool/spa & putting green complete this resort lifestyle at home. Lush landscaping & paths make this a one-of-a-kind property.John Marshall $6,249,000(650) 614-3500

LOS ALTOS HILLS – 5BR/5.5BA home situated on a cul-de-sac. Hardwood floors & crown molding. Kitchen w/ granite counter tops, top of the line appliances & Butler’s Pantry.Susan Furstman $5,395,000(650) 529-2900

ATHERTON – Destined to be one of the finest homes in Atherton. This magnificent 6+BR/4+BR new home is crafted with extraordinary attention to detail. Wide rounded corners & richly stained wood moldings typify the developer's attention to detail. Towering ceilings & windows provide stunning light & volume, along w/the finest millwork to behold that unfolds to create warmth & ambiance.Kristin Cashin/Mark Kaprielian $8,950,000(650) 614-3500

PORTOLA VALLEY – Vintage Charm. 3BR/1BA Redwood Cabin home on a beautiful large level lot. Creekside setting. Cathedral Ceilings & Great Room.Paul Skrabo $1,575,000(650) 529-2900

ATHERTON – 4BR/4+BA Casual & formal living spaces flowing over 2 levels featuring oak hardwood flooring, boxed & wood-beamed ceilings, crown moldings, wood trims & built-ins. Backyard w/ lap pool & spa, patio & lawn area. Lg Mstr & Granite Kitchen.Tim Kerns $2,475,000(650) 614-3500

MENLO PARK – 2+BR/2.5 BA desirable end unit town-home with magnificent sf-bayviews.Kristin Cashin $1,875,000(650) 614-3500

PALO ALTO – 3BR/2BA single family Palo Alto charmer! Living room features cathedral ceilings & wood burning fireplace. Great neighborhood, close to parks, schools, shopping & restaurantsMeryle Sussman Offered at $895,850(650) 948-8050

PALO ALTO – Great opportunity to live in downtown PA! Beautiful & bright 2BR/ 2.5BA end unit townhouse in quiet complex. Close to University Ave w/restaurants, shops, etc. New granite counters, new carpet, freshly painted & 2-car attached garage. Great PA schools.Mar Andres Keehn $749,000(650) 948-8050

PALO ALTO – Beautifully new constructed Mediterranean style home w/contemporary flair. Featuring 4BD/3BA & very spacious & open. Gourmet kitchen, family room w/entertainment center, fireplace & double French doors that open to a large private backyard w/ a slate patio. Perfect for entertaining.Robin Mello $2,875,000(650) 614-3500

MENLO PARK – Desirable 3BD/2.5BA townhome in sought after Menlo Park complex on private cul-de-sac. Dramatic vaulted ceiling living rom with wall of windows over-looking the rear patio & lovely common gardens. Hardwood floors, tons of natural light & attached 2-car garage. Complex features pool & low dues.Elizabeth Daschbach $995,000(650) 614-3500

MENLO PARK – Light filled craftsman featuring 4BD/3.5BA with full basement, hardwood floors & dual paned windows. Nice neighborhood & Menlo Park Schools.Camille Eder $1,800,000(650) 614-3500

May 6, 2009 ■ The Almanac ■ 3

Photo by Eric Lawson

Earthquake drillHoward Middleton goes over a list of simulated injuries at the incident command center at The Sequoias retirement community in Portola Valley during an evening earthquake drill led by the Woodside Fire Protection District on May 1. The drill was sponsored by the fire district’s Citizens Emergency Response Preparedness Program, or CERPP.

This week’s news, features and community events.

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On the coverThird-grader Aurelia Balkanski, 9, untangles ribbons at Woodside Elementary School’s annual maypole dance on Saturday, May 2. The 87th annual May Day parade went on, despite the damp, dreary weather. Photo by Eric Lawson/The Almanac. Story and photos begin on Page 12.

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FIRST SHOT

C A L L I N G O N T H E A L M A N AC

Menlo Park■ Under budget pressure, city officials open

dialogue with police unions. Page 5■ Part of city’s home foreclosure rescue plan

in jeopardy. Page 9■ Planning Commission chair blasts council.

Page 10

Portola Valley■ Town facing steep hike in costs for Sheriff’s

Office services. Page 5■ AIA names Town Center one of top 10 green

projects. Page 15

Woodside■ Steve Jobs’ mansion: disparate views on historic

Woodside house. Page 5

Regional■ Public invited to meetings on Menlo Park fire

district budget. Page 17

Schools■ Everest charter high school directors plan to

sue Sequoia district. Page 7

People■ Woodside girl shares top billing in biotech

contest. Page 19

Food & Drink■ Nak’s: Mom-and-pop market going strong at

40. Cover, Section 2■ Amici’s pizzeria to open May 11 in Menlo Park.

Page 27

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4 ■ The Almanac ■ May 6, 2009

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By Andrea GemmetAlmanac Staff Writer

Steve Jobs’ bid to tear down a historic mansion in Wood-side generated a whole lot of

testimony at the April 28 Woodside Town Council meeting. Preservationists and representa-tives of Mr. Jobs, the founder of Apple Inc., painted very different pictures of the Jackling house, an imposing 17,250-square-foot Spanish colonial-style home on Mountain Home Road. Where preservationists see a treasure designed by noted archi-

tect George Washington Smith and filled with graceful details like imported tile and custom copper fixtures, Mr. Jobs sees an “abomi-nation” that he would dearly like to scrape to the ground and replace with a smaller, modern home. If this battle triggers a sense of deja vu, that’s because it’s been going on since 2001 — and it’s going to linger at least a little bit longer. After taking testimony, the Town Council continued the pub-lic hearing on Mr. Jobs’s request for a demolition permit to its May 12 meeting. Named for original owner Dan-

iel C. Jackling, a titan of the cop-per mining industry, the house was built in 1925. Its age triggered an environmental review under the provisions of the California

Environmental Quality Act, and it was determined to be a histori-cally significant structure, mak-ing a demolition permit harder to acquire.

Mr. Jobs was actually granted a demolition permit for the house in 2004, but the permit was blocked

M E N L O P A R K | A T H E R T O N | W O O D S I D E | P O R T O L A V A L L E Y

Under budget pressure, city of Menlo Park officials open dialogue with police unions

May 6, 2009 ■ The Almanac ■ 5

By Sean HowellAlmanac Staff Writer

Following calls from residents and City Council members alike for city employees to

share the burden of the economic downturn, Menlo Park officials are meeting with representatives from the city’s police unions. The city does not necessarily plan to ask the unions to rene-gotiate their contracts, said City Manager Glen Rojas. Rather, it’s trying to open a general dialogue with the unions about possible cost-cutting measures, as the city looks to narrow a projected deficit of over $2 million. City staff members are sched-uled to discuss the meeting with the City Council in closed session, prior to the regular council meet-ing Tuesday, May 5. The city is also beginning nego-tiations with the unions that rep-resent the city’s staff; that contract expires in October. The city plans to meet with the police unions and the union that represents non-police city staff on an ongoing basis, Mr. Rojas said. “We’re looking at the budget, looking at it together to talk about finding ways to reduce costs over the long term — not just in (fiscal year) 2009-10, but in (fiscal year) 2010-11,” Mr. Rojas said. “We want to make sure we’re all work-ing on this together.” In an interview with The Alma-nac several weeks ago, Mr. Rojas said it would be “pretty tough to ask” unions to reopen con-

tract negotiations at this point, especially considering the city’s healthy general fund reserve. “Talking about trying to reduce salaries is premature, but we need to start talking to them,” he said. If the city determines it has to cut staff costs, a typical negotiat-ing stance would be to give the union a choice between accepting layoffs or pay cuts, he said. “You’ve got to walk in there with something,” Mr. Rojas said at the time. “You need a justifi-cation for it. I’m not resisting it, we’re just saying, we’re looking at everything we can. It’s a big issue to say, ‘take less salary.’” Council members have urged him to ask unions to make conces-sions to help the city to narrow its budget deficit. Mr. Rojas said he doesn’t anticipate making “unnec-essary layoffs,” though the city is looking to freeze or eliminate five vacant staff positions, he said. Officers in the police depart-ment negotiated a new contract that went into effect in July 2008, calling for hefty raises; the aver-age officer’s salary will increase 25 percent by July 2011 from its level in the spring of 2008. At the time, council members said the raises were necessary to halt an exodus of officers from the police force. In January, sergeants agreed to a new contract, with pay raises similar to those in the officers’ contract, over an outcry from residents who thought the pay hike too steep — especially dur-ing a period of severe economic stress. A

Towns facing steep hike in costs for services of Sheriff’s Office■ Budget outlook sobering for Portola Valley.

By Dave BoyceAlmanac Staff Writer

Police patrols in Portola Valley are likely to be much more expensive for the budget year

that begins July 1, and the reasons have more to do with the benefits package for Sheriff’s Office depu-ties than with costs associated with fighting crime, according to the town manager. The cost of benefits for the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, which patrols Portola Valley and Woodside, will represent 71 per-cent of the overall personnel costs for the Sheriff’s Office in budget year 2009-10, a significant increase from 2005-06, when benefits were 43 percent of costs, Town Manager Angela Howard said she was told by Sheriff Greg Munks. “They’ve all given all their officers

these incredible benefits and they don’t know how to pay for them. That’s the bottom line,” Ms. How-ard told the Town Council at its April 22 meeting, where she gave a preview of the upcoming budget. In a three-year contract with the Sheriff’s Office that is still being negotiated, Ms. Howard said that she expects police services to run $569,000 for the first year, a 27 percent increase from the 2008-09 cost of $449,000. A 3 percent rise would come in each of following two years. On the revenue side, the town’s home-building related income is down, expenses are up for the new Town Center — the complex has 22 toilets now where there used to be four — and the state is backing

away from some obligations, Ms. Howard said. “I think this is the first time in the 15 years that I’ve done a budget where I’m actually looking at a reduction in revenues,” she said. Scheduling conflicts precluded a goal-setting meeting, so coun-cil members had met individu-ally with a consultant hired to sound them out on budget priori-ties. (Councilman Richard Merk declined to meet, Ms. Howard said, but sent her an e-mail mes-sage with suggested cuts.) The consultant’s report showed broad support on the council for environmental sustainability, including maintaining the employ-ment of Brandi de Garmeaux, who coordinates green initiatives in town. A grant paid for her first

Photo by Priscilla Seely/Special to the Almanac

A well-behaved bunchSecond-graders from Laurel School’s Manners Club dig into dessert after a decorous lunch at Gambardella’s restaurant in Menlo Park on April 23. Teacher Priscilla Seely (not pictured) leads the club, teaching everyday etiquette to students who meet before school or at lunchtime. The club culminates with a three-course lunch at Gambardella’s — followed by hand-written thank you notes to Andy Gambardella.

Steve Jobs’ mansion: disparate views on historic Woodside house

See JOBS, page 8

■ PORTOLA VALLEY

See BUDGET, page 8

6 ■ The Almanac ■ May 6, 2009

Lucile PackardChildren’s Hospital

AT STANFORD

MILESYOUNGEST PERSON TO RECEIVE LIFE SAVING HEART PUMP.

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JUST ANOTHER REMARKABLE DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOODMiles Coulson is defi nitely a force to be reckoned with. When he was just four months old he needed a heart. And the clock was ticking. So a team of doctors at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital came up with a bold plan – use a Berlin Heart, an artifi cial pump, until a transplant could be found. That the device had only been used a few times in the U.S. didn’t daunt them. They developed a protocol just for Miles. It was more than successful, it was groundbreaking for other pediatric heart patients. It’s this kind of innovative thinking, combined with sensitive, nurturing care, that makes Packard Children’s a world-class hospital and Miles a world-class bundle of energy. Visit www.lpch.org for more information.

© 2007 Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital

1778_LPCH_PAWeeklyindd.indd 1 2/21/07 2:57:56 PM

May 6, 2009 ■ The Almanac ■ 7

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Everest plans to sue Sequoia districtBy Dave BoyceAlmanac Staff Writer

The directors of Everest Public High School, a new charter school that plans to open in September, are intending to file a lawsuit

on Friday, May 8, to force the high school district to amend its offer of facilities in East Palo Alto, according to an April 30 letter from Everest’s attorneys. The Sequoia Union High School District could avoid a court battle, Everest founder Diane Tav-enner said in an interview, but only if it addresses numerous alleged violations of charter school law, including reducing the spread-out nature of the proposed school — students have to be driven 4 miles one-way to M-A for some activities — and placing Everest in Redwood City nearer the atten-dance areas of Sequoia and Menlo-Atherton high schools, from which Everest is expected to draw students. “It is extremely disappointing that Everest is being forced to sue the district just to get them to obey the law,” Ms. Tavenner said. According to charter school law, the “school district shall make reasonable efforts to provide the charter school with facilities near to where the charter school wishes to locate, and shall not move the charter school unnecessarily.” The district could have put Everest on the Sequoia High School campus or in owned or leased buildings in Redwood City for less than the cost of the East Palo Alto site, she said. Everest’s attorneys can prove this, she said, adding that “any person off the street could see that if they really wanted to put us in Redwood City, they could have for far less money.” District officials, many of whom have tried to block Everest from getting a charter, have described their offer of portable buildings on a currently empty lot on East Palo Alto’s Green Street as providing “virtually everything that Everest has asked for.” Students would have to be driven to M-A to attend recreational and elective classes and for cafeteria services. Sequoia Superintendent Pat Gemma said in early April that he was “neither afraid nor con-cerned” about a lawsuit. When asked to comment on the April 30 letter, Mr. Gemma responded through an e-mail from district spokeswoman Bettylu Smith. “The Sequoia district has been thoughtful, thor-ough and considerate in its review of the Everest

petition and response to the request for facilities,” he said. “We have certainly been legally compli-ant, and our greatest priority has always been the best interests of our students and the communities we serve. We are disappointed that the Everest Institute (sic) has responded as it has. The organization behind the founding of Ever-est is the Summit Institute. Ms. Tavenner is the chief executive and a member of the five-member board of directors.

Location, location A participant in The Almanac’s online forum recently alleged that Everest is avoiding the “ghetto” of East Palo Alto. The Almanac asked Ms. Tavenner if she objected to the East Palo Alto site on the basis of its higher crime rate and the makeup of the community. Everest’s objections are rooted in compliance with the law and “have nothing to do with the community,” she said. “It’s just not a tenable site for a school that logistically works. Certainly the school district has made every effort to paint us as elitist from the time we started.” Those logistics include parents driving their kids four miles one way from the proposed East Palo Alto site to M-A High for electives and special services. Most affected, she said, would be impov-erished families and students who require special education. Neighbors of the proposed school site have complained in Almanac interviews about speed-ing and the lack of sidewalks. The school is being “rammed down our throats,” site neighbor David Winsberg said in a February interview. Everest’s latest response includes a letter from former East Palo Alto mayor Duane Bay, also a neighbor of the site. Mr. Bay asks the district not to proceed until it agrees, to the city’s satisfaction, to address issues such as speeding and hazardous turns. In February, district spokeswoman Smith said “in the weeks and months ahead, we will build on this developing relationship with neighbors, keeping them informed of important milestones in the process.” The law protects school districts from being answerable to cities as to what is done on district-owned land. The Sequoia Board of Trustees has scheduled a public hearing and possible vote on the site plan and construction bids for its Wednes-day, May 6, meeting at 5:30 p.m. at 480 James Ave. in Redwood City. A

Carol Watt ParkerHorse enthusiast

Carol Watt Parker, a longtime resident of Woodside, died April 25 with her four daughters at her side. She was 81. Ms. Parker was born in New York City and grew up in McK-eesport, Pennsylvania. She attend-ed Carnegie Tech, where she met and married her husband of 37 years, Norman F. Parker. In 1949, they moved to Southern California, where she completed her degree in chemical engineer-ing at UCLA. In 1968 the family moved to Woodside. Ms. Parker was involved in com-munity activities, from Girl Scouts, PTA and Children’s Home Society when her children were young, to organizations involved in explor-ing and preserving nature later

in her life, say family members. She hiked and camped, attended sports car rallies, and enjoyed skiing and whitewater rafting, they say. She was active in local eques-trian groups, both as a rider and volunteer. She was involved with the San Mateo County Horseman’s Association, the Los Altos Hunt, Los Viajeros Riding Club, the Woodside Town Trails Committee, the Woodside Trail Club, Jack Brook Horse Camp and the Folger Stable project. Survivors include her four daughters, Leslie Sasuga of Bishop, Kerry DeBenedetti of Woodside, Sandy Garbowski of Fairbanks, Alaska, and Noel Ortiz of Twain Harte, Califor-

nia; and six grandchildren. The family would like to thank Canyon House in Menlo Park for their years of kindness and care. No memorial service is planned. Contributions in Ms. Parker’s name may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association of Northern California, www.alznorcal.org.

■ OBITUARY

Please update your records!The Almanac newsroom

has a new phone number:

854-2690 Please use that number only

to contact news staff. For answers to any questions you may have on real estate, you may e-mail me at gdarke@apr.com or call 462-1111, Alain Pinel Realtors. I also offer a freemarket analysis of your property.

Terms or Location Which Is More Important When Buying Real Estate?

Dear Gloria, We recently bought a house and our

realtor told us that the chandelier and draperies were included in the purchase price. When we went to see the house right after we closed the draperies and rods had been removed, leaving big holes in the wall and wires were hanging from the ceiling where the chandelier was. Buying this house was such a thrill for us. We thought we would never be able to afford to own. The disappointment in walking in and finding it somewhat “stripped” certainly took the thrill away. Is there any way to make them return those items to us?

Ann and Kim, Redwood City

Dear Ann and Kim, I am sure it was very disappointing

to you to see your new home in less than anticipated condition. It is highly recommended that you do a buyers walk-thru just prior to closing and ideally after the sellers have moved out.

I agree it was at best a sneaky thing for them to remove the draperies and chandelier. Often sellers will exclude the items they wish to take with them in either the listing contract or the purchase contract. Then it is not a problem and everyone knows what to expect. Usually a chandelier is replaced with another one or the buyer is credited some amount towards the purchase of a replacement. Anything that is attached is deemed to be part of the property and not personal property. It is wise to spell out in your purchase contract as well simply stating “chandelier and draperies to be included”. As far as reclaiming those items, it doesn’t hurt to ask but I wouldn’t hold out much hope. You could go to small claims court but sometimes these things are not worth the aggravation. Just consider it a learning experience in what to do when buying your next home.

REAL ESTATE Q&Aby Gloria Darke

by a historic preservation group. Its members took the town and Mr. Jobs to court, and won. Now that Mr. Jobs has exhausted his appeals, he’s gone back and provided missing information that the courts said invalidated his old demolition permit. His representatives presented detailed information about the estimated cost of renovating the house — $13 million — would be $5 million more than the cost of demolishing it and building a tasteful, 6,000-square-foot custom home. “Enough is enough. I don’t think any property owner in this com-munity should have to endure what he has had to do,” Howard Ellman, Mr. Jobs’ attorney, told the

council. When the town granted the permit in 2004, it took the unusual step of requiring Mr. Jobs to try to find someone willing to relocate and restore the house. The preser-vation group, called Uphold Our Heritage, say that there’s been no good faith effort to find a taker, and point to at least two serious offers that have been rebuffed. Mr. Ellman said at the meeting that none of the offers to take the house have been reasonable. “Needless to say, I didn’t ever take these offers to him. I value my relationship with (Mr. Jobs) and I didn’t want to have to endure the blowback,” he said. The Jackling house has been abandoned for the past decade, and Mr. Jobs has made it clear that he’ll leave it to fall down rather than fix it up, a situation preserva-tionists find infuriating. “It’s a great house. It’s not that far gone,” said Thalia Lubin, a mem-ber of the town’s History Com-mittee. “It’s very, very sad that the house was vandalized,” she said, adding that she chose that word deliberately. “Not demolishing it only keeps it in its present condition,” pointed out Councilman Ron Romines. A

Almanac staff writer Dave Boyce contributed to this story.

8 ■ The Almanac ■ May 6, 2009

N E W S

year’s compensation. Disaster preparedness came next on the list of priorities, followed by possible training to improve civility on the town’s volunteer committees where it has report-edly lapsed, on occasion. Mr. Merk concurred on the importance of disaster prepared-ness, followed by town planning, building inspections and infra-structure. “Without planning, this town is nowhere. It’s just another suburb,” he said in an interview. Observed Mayor Ann Wengert: “It’s clear to me that we’re going to be cutting, but it’s too early to know what.”

Income and outgo Property tax revenues for the town are not expected to fall, but Ms. Howard said she expects income related to home construc-tion, such as building permit fees, to be 25 percent lower than last year.

While there are six home-con-struction projects under review by the Architectural & Site Control Commission, Town Hall has not issued a building permit in 2009, she said. Were those six projects to receive permits, revenues would get “a significant boost,” she said. The baseball diamond at Ford Field, a little shabby with the pas-sage of time, was due for a $255,000 rehab, but the state has reneged on a $200,000 grant. “Technically, they can’t really do that, but they have,” Ms. Howard said in an interview. In addition to janitorial ser-vices needed for a quintupling of toilet capacity, the new Town Center needs $10,000 to monitor the advanced heating and cooling equipment and rooftop solar pan-els. “It doesn’t do much good to have all that equipment if it’s not func-tioning properly,” she said. Another $10,000 would go to hire someone with the expertise to know the difference between

weeds and young indigenous plants installed in the creek and around the complex, at least until the plants are established, she said.

Second patrol car Portola Valley enjoys the daily services of two Sheriff’s Office squad cars on patrol, with costs for the second car subsidized by the state. While that subsidy has not changed, Ms. Howard said, the cost to the town for the second car in the new contract is expected to rise to $140,000 a year from $30,000, a 366 percent increase. The town has few options but to go along with the change. Ms. Howard said she came away unsatisfied after exploring a con-tract with the Menlo Park Police Department. “We’re certainly not going to go down the road of getting our own (police department),” she added. “That’s what has bankrupted other communities.” A

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views on historic houseJOBS continued from page 5

Cleanup dayin Woodside The Woodside neighborhood cleanup and drug-disposal day is set for Saturday, May 9, from 8 to 11 a.m. at the Woodside Elemen-tary School. The free service is open to Wood-side residents only and requires proof of residence, such as a utility bill or driver’s license. Acceptable materials for disposal include old furniture, electronic equipment, appliances, plastic toys and scrap metal. Among the items not accepted are hazardous wastes such as oil, paint and pesticides, refrigerators and freezers and air conditioners containing CFC refrigerants, tires and batteries. For a complete list, go to tinyurl.com/wsWaste. There will be a container there for unused or out-of-date prescrip-tion drugs and over-the-counter drugs. Disposing the drugs in this way as opposed to flushing them down the toilet prevents their entering the water supply (since sewage treatment plants are not equipped to remove them). For more information or ques-tions, call Marilyn Dyer at 851-6790, ext. 148.

Across the Bay Area, 14 schools have been closed due to confirmed or probable cases of swine flu, but no schools in San Mateo County have been affected yet. “Rain or shine, as long as there’s no swine,” said Woodside Elementary School principal Diana Abbati at the school’s drizzly May Day festivities on Saturday, May 2. So far, there are no signs of swine flu at the school, she said. The Menlo Park City School District on April 27 sent home a list of recommendations for handling the new influenza strain, also called H1N1. Superintendent Ken Ranella cautioned parents to keep sick children at home, and to report any flu-like symptoms to a doc-tor. District classrooms are now equipped with bottles of hand sanitizer, and teachers have been

instructed to supervise students in regular hand washing, he said in the letter. The Sequoia Union High School District is distributing information on the flu in Span-ish and English, said spokes-woman Bettylu Smith. According to the San Mateo County Health System, symp-toms of H1N1 are similar to the symptoms of seasonal influenza

and include fever, fatigue, lack of appetite, body aches, headache, runny nose and coughing. Vomit-ing and diarrhea can also occur. A Mexico City toddler visiting Texas is the first and only con-firmed swine flu-related death in the United States. There are two probable cases of H1N1 in San Mateo County. Information on swine f lu provided by San Mateo County is online at http://tinyurl.com/c2uf4g.

By Sean HowellAlmanac Staff Writer

One of three proposals under consideration by the city of Menlo Park

for dealing with a rash of fore-closures in the city’s Belle Haven neighborhood has hit a stum-bling block. The proposal in question is a program designed to allow residents who are in danger of defaulting on their mortgages to stay in their homes. Through the program, the city would establish a $1 million fund, using it to take an equity stake in an estimated 10-12 homes. The city could recoup some or all of its investment when the home is sold. But the potential sources of funding may have too many restrictions for the program to be viable, according to Doug Frederick, the city’s housing manager. Both redevelopment and below-market-rate funds, two possible sources of funding for the program, are earmarked for providing affordable hous-ing. As a result, homeowners might be required to agree to long-term resale restrictions that would essentially make the home part of the city’s below-market-rate housing program, according to Mr. Frederick. And the Silicon Valley Asso-ciation of Realtors has told the city that homeowners aren’t likely to assent to that. If the city used its general fund reserve for this purpose, there would not be the same restric-tions. But with the city facing a projected deficit in excess of $2 million, city staff members say

they don’t recommend using the reserve. At a City Council meeting Tuesday, May 5, the council is expected to give direction on how the city should proceed with the foreclosure prevention plan, if at all. It is also expected to decide whether to dedicate $2.5 mil-lion from the below-market-rate fund to two separate programs, through which the city would purchase and renovate fore-closed units, and resell them to low-income residents. The council meeting is sched-uled to begin at 7 p.m. in the council chambers, in the Civic Center complex between Laurel and Alma streets.

City working with Sun Micro Menlo Park officials are trying to persuade Sun Microsystems to retain its Menlo Park campus, in light of the hardware and software company’s recent agree-ment to merge with Oracle. Sun’s campus sit on a sprawl-ing property at the intersection of Willow Road and Bayfront Expressway. The company is a significant contributor to the city in sales and property taxes, according to Finance Director Carol Augustine. Mayor Heyward Robinson and other Menlo Park officials met with Sun representatives on April 30, to let the company know that the city’s interested in retaining it, and to pitch the benefits of being located in Menlo Park, city

officials said. As Sun and Oracle decide how to consolidate Sun’s operation, it will be critical for Menlo Park to have an advo-cate within the company, said Dave Johnson, the city’s business development manager. Menlo Park officials have been trying to set up a meeting with the struggling computing giant for months, in an effort to convince it to retain its Menlo Park campus, according to Mr. Johnson. Oracle’s deal to buy Sun is expected to close this summer, according to Sun’s Web site.

Kepler, Caseyat Sustainable Menlo Clark Kepler, owner of Kepler’s books in downtown Menlo Park, will speak at a meeting of Sustainable Menlo Park on Wednesday, May 13. He will be joined by Michael Casey, manager of the recently opened Rosewood Sand Hill hotel. They will speak and answer questions about local business-es, and the challenges of doing business in a recession, The meeting is set to start at 5:30 p.m. in the Burgess Recreation Center in the Civic Center Com-plex, off Alma Street. For more information or to RSVP, e-mail chairman Chuck Kinney at sus-tainablemenlopark@gmail.com. Sustainable Menlo Park is not an environmental group. Rather, it “intends to foster an informed citizenry that will promote sen-sible planning and good govern-ment in Menlo Park for years to come,” according to the group’s mission statement. A

May 6, 2009 ■ The Almanac ■ 9

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TheAlmanacOnline.comJOIN THE CONVERSATION AT TOWN SQUARE

By Sean HowellAlmanac Staff Writer

On April 14, with more than one of the night owls in the council

chambers rubbing her eyes as the hour hand of the clock crept toward midnight, Menlo Park’s City Council voted to introduce an ordinance amending the city’s zoning code. Council members didn’t view the decision as a controversial one. But Henry Riggs, chairman of the Planning Commission, is mighty unhappy with how the council handled the issue. He claims the council modified key points of the ordinance, which was drafted by the com-

mission. The council’s action underscores council members’ lack of consideration for devel-opers, and reveals the influence wielded by a handful of vocal residents, he says. In May 2007, the council asked the commission to propose a clear and consistent standard for deciding how to grant develop-ers exemptions from the floor-area limit (measured in square feet) on their projects. In 10 public hearings over 18 months, the commission ham-mered out a proposal to modify the ordinance, which would apply to commercial, industrial, and some multi-unit residential projects. Among other issues, commission members debat-

ed whether exemptions should be granted for s t a i r w e l l s and storage space, and heard from a range of people, from residents to business owners. When the commission finally presented its recommendation to the council on April 14, all seven commissioners were on board. But the council’s action, on a 3-2 vote, came after what Mr. Riggs contends was only a cursory review. The council changed the ordinance in a way

that he says defeated the pur-pose of much of the commis-sion’s recommendation. He argued that the three council members settled for a compromise between the com-mission’s recommendation and proposals of several residents, who wanted the ordinance to allow for fewer exemptions. “When you can have (one group exerting) special leverage, that’s not good public process on the part of those being lever-aged,” he said. The three council members who voted for the ordinance don’t see it that way. They said they feared that allowing the exemptions could be viewed as a backdoor approach to changing the allowable size of a project. They maintain that the process worked as it should have, more or less.

Holy wars Though commissioners and

city staff members said the ordi-nance would not significantly change how large a development project can be, it’s difficult to disentangle the disagreement over the ordinance from what Councilman Rich Cline terms Menlo Park’s perpetual “holy war” over land development issues. Mr. Riggs and council mem-bers alike have said that, when it comes to development, the city needs to get beyond the idea that a project’s size is the only thing that matters. But that seems to be exactly where this debate over an ancil-lary part of the city’s zoning code has ended up. To Mr. Riggs, the decision is another instance of the current council majority making things difficult for developers. The commission’s recommendation included practical incentives for developers to build standard basements and attics and wide stairwells and elevator shafts, he said, maintaining that the ordi-nance approved by the council doesn’t provide those incen-tives. He alleges that council mem-bers were cowed by a hand-ful of residents to modify the ordinance, out of a shallow and misplaced concern that the sug-gested exemptions would trans-late into bigger buildings. But Councilman Andy Cohen and Morris Brown, who spoke in opposition to the commis-sion’s recommendation at the April 14 meeting, said it was Mr. Riggs who had manipulated the process. They alleged that he and another commissioner with “design experience,” Melody Pagee, had hijacked the process in an indirect attempt to relax the city’s zoning code. Mr. Riggs has worked as an architect for 29 years, with an emphasis in residential and “village com-mercial” projects. Mr. Riggs called Mr. Cohen’s claim “a stretch at the very least,” noting that four of the commis-sioners who voted for the recom-mendation were appointed by the current council. (The previ-ous council majority appointed Mr. Riggs.) The council members who voted to approve the new ordi-nance — Heyward Robinson, Kelly Fergusson and Rich Cline — say this has nothing to do with their attitude toward devel-opment, or governmental pro-cess. But the city does have room for improvement when it comes to communication between the council, and its commissions, they say. Mr. Riggs wonders what more the commission could have

10 ■ The Almanac ■ May 6, 2009

N E W S

Commission chair blasts council■ Henry Riggs, chair of the Planning Commission, charges that the City Council acted rashly in revising an ordinance drafted by the commission in 10 public hearings.

See RIGGS, page 16

Henry Riggs

May 6, 2009 ■ The Almanac ■ 11

12 ■ The Almanac ■ May 6, 2009

C O V E R S T O R Y C O V E R S T O R Y

May 6, 2009 ■ The Almanac ■ 13

Foundation’s grand auction, this year’s theme was Mardi Gras. The obligatory beads and feathered masks made an appearance, but to a more sober gathering than one typically finds in New Orleans — with the pos-sible exception of the Los Trancos Woods Marching Band and its ever-present beer wagon. Led by two San Mateo County sher-iff ’s deputies on motorcycles, the parade meandered down Woodside Road from Woodside Elementary School to Canada Road and back again. “It may have rained on our parade, but we still had fun,” said Anne Dickey Schoebel, the parade’s announcer. Cheerful pastel costumes and bright ribbons illuminated the school’s amphi-theater, where the third-grade class per-formed the annual maypole and sword

dance with pluck, despite the occasional dropped sword and tangled ribbon. Parade grand marshal Bettina Pike, a two-term member of the school board, was presented with flowers. “I came for the man, I stayed for the (school) district,” she joked. Laura Hovden, the mother of two students, was the surprised recipient of the Citizen of the Year award. Given by the PTA to the biggest supporter of the school, Ms. Hovden was praised for lending a hand with everything from Boy and Girl Scouts to school barbecues. “Basically, just volunteering for any and every job,” said Veda Yonehiro, who presented the award. A

For more photos from the parade, go to www.TheAlmanacOnline.com.

Spirits high at Woodside’s 87th May Day parade

By Andrea GemmetAlmanac Staff Writer

Photo by Michelle Le/The AlmanacLaura Hovden

man in a Superman bathrobe and propeller beanie glides by on his bicycle. Kids in raincoats, dogs leashed and unleashed. A baby swaddled in pink polar fleece peeps out from under the awning of the backpack she’s riding in. Everyone’s heading to the parade. For 87 years, come rain or come shine, Woodside has celebrated May Day, and this year was no differ-ent. Undeterred by gray skies and a persistent drizzle, Woodsiders converged Saturday, May 2, for the annual parade that features horses, bunnies and fire trucks, classic cars, decorated bicycles, costumed preschoolers and uniformed 4-H clubs. Kindergarteners in capes and crowns tossed candy, rodeo princesses with glossy manes waved and smiled, and the Woodside High School marching band serenaded the slightly sodden crowd with songs from “West Side Story.” In keeping with the upcoming Woodside School

Above: Berkeley Stenson (in yellow cap) passes out beads and candy as David Connelly plays the trumpet. Below: Erica Goldman and sons John, right, and Andrew try to stay dry. Left: The kindergarten royal court is trailed by a retinue of classmates from Woodside Elementary. Middle, left: Jessica Patton, Sofi Gilbert, Allegra and Olivia Stangvik shout for candy. Top: Queen-for-a-day Charlotte Bourne peers over the edge of Old Tom, the antique fire truck.

Photos by Michelle Le/The Almanac

Above: Third-graders from Woodside Elementary grab their wands as they prepare for the maypole dance, a traditional part of Woodside’s annual May Day festivities. Right: A Fourth of July Rodeo princess rides with the San Mateo County Mounted Patrol. Left: Talan Moll’s decorated tricycle celebrates the parade’s Mardi Gras theme.

Photo by Eric Lawson/The AlmanacAmanglideglideand peeppeshe’sshe’s

FoFo

Photo by Michelle Le/The Almanac

Photo by Michelle Le/The Almanac

Photo by Michelle Le/The Almanac

Photo by Michelle Le/The Almanac

Photo by Michelle Le/The Almanac

Don’t let it rain on my paradeDon’t let it rain on my parade

14 ■ The Almanac ■ May 6, 2009

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By Dave BoyceAlmanac Staff Writer

The architects who designed the new Portola Valley Town Center complex, including

Portola Valley native Larry Strain, have won a place among the top 10 green building projects of the year, according to an environmental committee of the American Insti-tute of Architects. The six-person committee rec-ognized the work of the Town Center’s architects, Mr. Strain of Siegel & Strain Architects and Jim Goring of Goring & Straja, and their team. Both firms are based in Emeryville. Mr. Strain said the project, com-pleted in October, has more points than it needs to win a platinum designation from the U.S. Green Building Council, according to Portola Valley Councilman Ted Driscoll. The platinum award is the highest recognition awarded for green commercial buildings. “I am particularly proud of our design team for wining this award,” Mr. Driscoll said in an interview. “I think we put a lot of time and energy into making this project green and sustainable and, in fact, stretching our goal. I’m really glad to see that stretched goal is being recognized.” The Town Center won a green-building award in January from Sustainable San Mateo County, and an award from the Northern California Solar Energy Associa-tion. (The center has a 76 kilowatt solar panel installation.) One of the Town Council’s goals is demonstrating ways to live that sustain rather than damage the natural environment, and the rec-ognition is mostly welcome, Mr. Driscoll said. He gives tours of the complex about twice a month, but added, “we don’t want to have Grayline Tour (buses) stopping here,” a phrasing Mr. Driscoll attributed

to Councilman Richard Merk. Mr. Driscoll reserved special praise for the fundraising team that solicited $15 million from members of the community to pay for the $18 million project. “Those guys basically met over and over and over again and made thou-sands of phone calls on all of our behalf,” he said. “This is a back pat for them.” A

■ INFORMATION

For more information on the AIA award, including a detailed analysis of the features of the design, go to www.aiatopten.org/hpb.

May 6, 2009 ■ The Almanac ■ 15

N E W S

AIA names Town Center one of top 10 green projects

■ PORTOLA VALLEY

Bothun pleads not guilty Brian Bothun, a former edi-tor for the Palo Alto Daily News and former reporter for the Daily Post, entered a plea of “not guilty” to charges of possession of child pornography at an arraignment in a Redwood City courtroom on Friday, May 1, said Steve Wag-staffe, the San Mateo County chief deputy district attorney. Superior Court Judge James Ellis set a date of Sept. 28 at 8:30 a.m. for Mr. Bothun’s jury trial, with a pre-trial conference scheduled for Aug. 17 at 1 p.m., Mr. Wagstaffe said in an interview.

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16 ■ The Almanac ■ May 6, 2009

N E W S

done to explain its position. He met with council members throughout the process, and the commission even requested a joint meeting with the council. It was told to submit a two-page summary of its recommenda-tion instead. In two years as the council’s liaison to the commission, Ms. Fergusson has been to only two meetings, Mr. Riggs said — one of them to ask for a variance on her home.

Land development Mr. Cline — who voted with Mr. Robinson and Ms. Fergus-son — struck a conciliatory tone. “I don’t blame the commission for being frustrated,” he said in an interview. “If we don’t take (their recommendation), then why are they doing what they’re doing? That concern is com-pletely valid, and it’s something we have to continue to work on.” Still, Mr. Cline stood by his vote. He denied that he had been unduly influenced by a few residents, saying he did his own research on the issue. The fact that council members viewed their emendations to the draft ordinance as only minor tweaks prompted Mr. Riggs to wonder if council members were either unable or unwilling to see the issue from a developer’s perspective. He drew a parallel between

the process of drafting the ordinance, and the downtown planning process. Through that process, instigated by the current council, the city hopes to hash out a parcel-by-parcel plan for the city’s downtown area, and a stretch of El Camino Real. Residents will weigh in on what they’d like to see; the council will have the final say in the zoning laws that get approved. Mr. Riggs, a member of the downtown planning steering committee, said he fears that council members will modi-fy the recommendation that comes before them in a way that will make it impractical for developers to build. That recommendation will be drawn up by a consultant after com-munity meetings, and filtered through several commissions. “The worst thing that could happen,” Mr. Riggs said, “is that we go through this 20-month process, and the council says, ‘We’re so impressed with the process, and we’d like to accept the plan with the following modification: buildings along El Camino are not to exceed two stories....’” Council members say they fully intend to uphold the will of the community through the planning process — that’s why they authorized that process in the first place. But “we are not a rubber stamp,” Councilman Robinson said, referring to the council’s action on the ordinance. “We’d be negligent in our responsibili-ties if we were to do that.” A

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NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS

Bid Proposals Sought for

INSTALLATION OF A VIDEO DETECTION SYSTEM AT THE INTERSECTION OF WILLOW ROAD AND DURHAM STREET/VA HOSPITAL ENTRANCE IN

MENLO PARK

The City of Menlo Park invites qualified contractors to submit sealed bid proposals for the installation of a video detection system at the intersection of Willow Road and Durham Street/VA Hospital Entrance in Menlo Park.

Work required as part of this project consists of install-ing a video detection system at the intersection of Wil-low Road and Durham Street/VA Hospital Entrance in Menlo Park; and doing all appurtenant work in place and ready for use, all as shown in the plans and described in the specifications with the title indicated in paragraph 1 above, and on file in the Office of the Transportation Manager. The Contractor shall possess either a Class A License or a Class C-10 License. Project docu-ments and copies of the prevailing rate of wages can be obtained from the Menlo Park Engineering Division, located in the Administrative Building at 701 Laurel St. Sealed bid proposals will be received at the Transporta-tion Division office until 2 p.m. on Wednesday, May 20, 2009, at which time they will be opened and publicly read. Additional information can be obtained from the City’s website:

www.menlopark.org/cip

May 6, 2009 ■ The Almanac ■ 17

N E W S

Public invited to meetings on fire district budgetBy Renee BattiAlmanac News Editor

Four community meetings to discuss the economic future of the Menlo Park

Fire Protection District, as well as the district’s proposed 2009-10 budget, will be held this week in towns served by the district. One-hour meetings are set for Wednesday, May 6, at 11 a.m. at Fire Station 3, 32 Almendral Ave. in Atherton; and at 3 p.m. at Fire Station 77, 1467 Chilco Ave. in Menlo Park. They also are scheduled for Thursday, May 7, at 11 a.m. at Fire Station 4, 3322 Alameda de las Pulgas in Menlo Park; and at 3 p.m. at Fire Station 2, 2290 University Ave. in East Palo Alto. The meetings represent a new approach by the district to make the budget process as transpar-ent to the community as pos-sible, fire board President Bart Spencer said. The board plans to solicit comments from the

public, explain district spending policies and address questions, he added. In February, the board unani-mously approved six resolutions aimed at slowing spending in light of increasingly dire eco-nomic news. The resolutions ranged from putting the planned acquisition of real property on hold, to slowing down planned replacement of some apparatus. Staff and board members have been shaping a budget for fiscal year 2009-10 that assumes a mere 3 percent increase in prop-erty tax revenue, Mr. Spencer said. Past increases have ranged from about 7 to 11 percent, he said. Another factor in the financial picture is employee costs. The district is negotiating a new con-tract with firefighters and other emergency staff, who have been working without a contract since June 2008. Information about the meet-ings can be found at www.menlofire.org. A

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18 ■ The Almanac ■ May 6, 2009

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Some What Awful Tennis returns

Photo by Jim Milton

Bringing back a 30-year-old town tradition of Some What Awful Tennis are these members of Woodside’s Recreation Committee, from left, Jim Milton, Chuck Martin, Loel McPhee, Stacy Stauffer and Tom Salles.

By Barbara WoodSpecial to The Almanac

Woodside’s Recreation Committee is try-ing to bring back a

local tradition started more than 30 years ago — the Some What Awful Tennis (SWAT) tournament, a light-hearted, semi-competitive but mostly social tennis tournament held on local courts. The event takes place on Sunday, May 31, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with registration at 8:30 a.m. at the Woodside Elemen-tary School public courts. An awards ceremony and dinner will follow on the deck at Town Hall from 5 p.m. to about 7:30 pm. Cost is $40 per player, including dinner, and $15 for those just having

dinner. Entry forms will be mailed to former local play-ers and will also be available on the Woodside Recreation Committee Web site at wood-siderec.com. The event is sponsored by the Woodside Recreation Com-mittee and is open to local residents of all ability levels. Nominally there will be three rounds of tennis, although those who would prefer to play only two rounds will be accommodated. Matches will played on the Woodside Elementary School courts, recently resurfaced by the town, as well as private courts graciously donated for the day by town residents. For more information, call Chuck Martin at 851-1482 or

any member of the Woodside Recreation Committee (see woodsiderec.com for member contact information). SWAT (Some What Awful Tennis) began in Woodside in 1978 among the town’s tennis players. Held in both spring and fall with different formats, the event was discon-tinued several years ago due to a general fall-off in tennis popularity as well as a drop in local participation. The event is being brought back this year in response to a lot of expressed interest in the town, particularly among for-mer participants. The Recre-ation Committee is encourag-ing all former players to sign up or stop by during the tour-nament. A

May 6, 2009 ■ The Almanac ■ 19

C O M M U N I T YADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS

TOWN OF ATHERTONSTATE OF CALIFORNIA

LAS LOMITAS SAFE ROUTE TO SCHOOLPROJECT NO. 08-028

Notice is hereby given that SEALED BIDS will be received at the offi ce of the City Clerk, 91 Ashfi eld Road, Atherton, California 94027, until 3:00 p.m. MAY 14, 2009, at which time they will be publicly opened and read, for per-forming the following work:

LAYOUT OF WORK, REMOVAL AND REPLACEMENT OF ASPHALT CONCRETE PAVEMENT ON STREET, INSTALLATION OF CONCRETE SIDEWALK AND CURB RAMPS, INSTALLATION OF RAISED SIDEWALK AND LANDSCAPING.

Bids must be for the entire work, and shall be submitted in sealed enve-lopes clearly marked: ”Bid of (Contractor) for LAS LOMITAS SAFE ROUTE TO SCHOOL, Project No. 08-028”, along with date and time of bid opening.

Plans and specifi cations may be obtained at the Town of Atherton Pub-lic Works Department, 91 Ashfi eld Road, Atherton CA 94027, for a non-refundable fee of $30.00. Additional important information is contained in Town of Atherton Standard Specifi cations, which are available for an ad-ditional $20.00. If shipping is requested, there will be an additional charge of $20.00.

Bids must be accompanied by a bid security in the form of cash, a cashier‘s or certifi ed check or bid bond for not less than ten percent (10%) of the amount of the bid, as a guarantee that the bidder, if awarded the Contract, will fulfi ll the terms of the bid. The Town of Atherton reserves the right to reject any and all proposals and/or to waive any irregularities therein. Bidders are hereby notifi ed that, pursuant to California Civil Code Sections 3247 and 3248 and Standard Specifi cations Section 3.02, the successful bidder will be required to provide payment and performance bonds in the amounts stated in Section 3.02 of the Standard Specifi cations.

Bidders are hereby notifi ed that provisions of California Labor Code re-garding prevailing wages are applicable to the work to be performed under this contract. Pursuant to Section 1773 et seq. the general prevailing wage rates have been determined by the Director of the California Department of Industrial Relations and appear in the California Prevailing Wage Rates. Copies are on fi le at the offi ce of the City Engineer and are available to interested parties upon request. The successful bidder shall post a copy of the wage rates at the job site.

The Contractor may elect to receive 100 percent of payments due under the contract, without retention of any portion of the payment by the Town of Atherton, by depositing securities of equivalent value to the retention amount in accordance with the provisions of Section 22300 of the California Public Contracts Code.

The successful bidder must be licensed under the provisions of Chapter 9, Division 3, of the California Business and Professions Code to do the type of work contemplated in the project at the time the contract is awarded and shall be skilled and regularly engaged in the general class or type of work called for under the Contract. Failure of the bidder to obtain proper and adequate licensing for an award of the contract shall constitute a fail-ure to execute the contract and result in the forfeiture of the bidder‘s bid security.

Each bidder shall submit with this bid a statement setting forth his/her/its experience and qualifi cations. The statement shall be made on the forms provided by the Town and must accompany each bid. The three lowest bid-ders will be required to submit subcontractor‘s experience and qualifi ca-tions statements within 48 hours of the bid opening, on forms provided by the Town.

By submitting a bid in response to this advertisement for bids, the bidder shall be conclusively deemed to have read, understood and agreed with all of the information and materials contained in the bid documents, including but not limited to the construction contract, the standard specifi cations, the special provisions, the required nature and amount of insurance and the documentation evidencing said insurance.

Any questions regarding the project should be directed to the Assistant Engineer, 91 Ashfi eld Road, Atherton, CA 94027, telephone (650) 752-0555, preferably no later than fi ve days before bid opening. Requests for Informa-tion may be faxed to (650) 688-6539. Plan holder‘s lists may be obtained by calling (650) 752-0570.

By: ___________________________________ Duncan L. Jones, P.E., City Engineer

Date: ___________________________________

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Planning Commission of the City of Menlo Park, California, is scheduled to review the following items:

PUBLIC HEARING ITEMS

Use Permit/Mark Edward Adams/1143 Crane Street: Request for a use permit to operate a restaurant with live entertainment and to change an existing on-sale beer and wine license to an on-sale beer, wine, and distilled spirits license in an existing commercial building in the C-3 (Central Commercial) zoning district.

Architectural Control and Use Permit/Novo Construction/4025 Bohannon Drive: Request for a use permit and architectural control for exterior modifications and interior remodeling of an existing one-story building that is nonconforming with regard to parking in the M-2 zoning (General Industrial) district. Continued from the meeting of May 4, 2009.

PUBLIC MEETING ITEMS - None

NOTICE IS HEREBY FURTHER GIVEN that said Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on public hearing items in the Council Chambers of the City of Menlo Park, located at 701 Laurel Street, Menlo Park, on Monday, May 18, 2009, 7:00 p.m. or as near as possible thereafter, at which time and place interested persons may appear and be heard thereon. If you challenge this item in court, you may be limited to raising only those issues you or someone else raised at the public hearing described in this notice, or in written correspondence delivered to the City of Menlo Park at, or prior to, the public hearing.

The project file may be viewed by the public on weekdays between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday, with alternate Fridays closed, at the Department of Community Development, 701 Laurel Street, Menlo Park. Please call the Planning Division if there are any questions and/or for complete agenda information (650) 330-6702.

Si usted necesita más información sobre este proyecto, por favor llame al 650-330-6702, y pregunte por un asistente que hable español.

DATED: April 30, 2009 Deanna Chow, Senior PlannerPUBLISHED May 6, 2009 Menlo Park Planning Comamission

Visit our Web site for Planning Commission public hearing, agenda, and staff report information: www.menlopark.org

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETINGAND

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARINGCITY OF MENLO PARK

PLANNING COMMISSIONMEETING MAY 18, 2009

Judgment daySenior Jeremy Rossman,

left, and Souhail Salty, a junior, react as the

judge makes a ruling at a practice session of the

Menlo School’s mock trial team. The Atherton

private school’s team won the chance to compete in

the American Mock Trial Invitational, to be held May

17-19 in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Eric Lawson

Woodside girl shares top billing in biotech contest If diesel-powered vehicles used fuel derived from vegetable oil disposed of by restaurants, per-formance would nearly equal that of fossil-fuel-derived diesel while cutting greenhouse gas emissions, says Nicole Kowtko, a Woodside resident and sophomore at Summit Preparatory Charter High School. Nicole’s analysis of the two fuels has won her recognition as one of two finalists in a regional biotech-nology competition held April 16 in South San Francisco, according to a statement from the Biotechnol-ogy Institute, a nonprofit biotech advocacy group based in Arlington, Virginia. Nicole is now eligible to partici-pate in the sanofi-aventis Interna-tional BioGENEius Challenge, held over three days in Atlanta on May 17-19 and judged by a panel that includes scientists, educators and industrialists. Sanofi-aventis is a global pharmaceutical company. Restaurants produce about three billion gallons of used oil every year, Nicole said in her report. Nationally in 2006, vehicles burned 44 billion gallons of traditional diesel fuel, up from 30 billion gallons 10 years ear-lier, according to U.S. Department of Transportation statistics. Nicole made her findings by building a device that measured a fuel’s burn rate needed to produce one unit of energy.

Port gets $4 million in stimulus bucks The Port of Redwood City will receive $4 million in federal stimu-lus funding, Rep. Anna G. Eshoo, D-Menlo Park, has announced. The money will be used for maintenance dredging of the port entrance and turning basins, she said. “The funding through the Army Corps of Engineers will return the port to its authorized depth of 30 feet and save thousands of jobs associated directly and indirectly with the Port of Redwood City,” she said.

This information is from the Atherton and Menlo Park police departments and the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office. Under the law, people charged with offenses are considered innocent until convicted.

ATHERTON

Child/elder abuse report: Oak Grove Ave., April 29. Incident report: Teen taken to Stanford Hospital with severed finger after jump-ing off bleachers, Menlo-Atherton High School at 555 Middlefield Road, April 29.

Grand theft report: Bicycle stolen from bike rack, St. Joseph’s School at 150 Val-paraiso Ave., April 30.

MENLO PARK

Grand theft report: Diamond ring stolen, 2800 block of Sand Hill Road, April 26. Auto burglary report: Window smashed

and GPS device stolen, 1400 block of San Antonio St., April 30. Residential burglary report: Laptop computer and $300 in cash stolen after forced entry, 1200 block of Madera Ave., April 30. Fraud reports: ■ Victim asked to send money via West-ern Union to receive share in lottery winnings, 1200 block of El Camino Real, April 29. ■ Resident said someone tried to tap into his cell phone, 1100 block of Carlton Ave., April 26. Spousal abuse report: Chilco St., April 28.

WOODSIDE

Mountain lion sighting report: Lion, encountered by driver, tried to jump over roadside fence, failed and then squared off against driver who drove away, 100

block of Marva Oaks Drive, April 22. Commercial burglary report: Laptop computer stolen from teacher’s desk, Woodside High School at 199 Churchill Ave., April 24.

20 ■ The Almanac ■ May 6, 2009

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La Honda■ Rachel Owens and James Salvi, a daughter, April 17, at Sequoia Hospital.

Menlo Park■ Jennifer and Chad Kinzelberg, a son, April 23, at Sequoia Hospital.

■ BIRTHS

■ POLICE CALLS

Caltrain is in danger of run-ning out of money next year, unless immediate steps are taken, according to officials with the rail service. The end result could be higher fares and fewer stops at local stations. A public hearing could take place on June 4 for Caltrain’s board to consider declaring a fiscal emergency. The fis-cal emergency makes it easier for the Peninsula Joint Powers

Board to take budget-bridging steps, such as reducing service and hiking fares. According to the chief finan-cial officer, Virginia Harrington, Caltrain has used one-time funding sources to make up for deficits for each of the past seven years, but those options are now exhausted. Caltrain is facing a $10.1 million deficit for the 2009-10 fiscal year, according to Ms. Harrington.

May 6, 2009 ■ The Almanac ■ 21

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Molly Sturges TuthillMenlo Park resident

Molly Sturges Tuthill died April 18 at her Menlo Park home of breast cancer, with which she had lived for 21 years. At her request, no services will be held. Ms. Tuthill is survived by her sister, Ann Deyo, and brother David Sturges; nephew and niece Scott and Lisa Deyo; step-children Mark Tuthill, Cynthia Tuthill, and Kathryn Thome; and three grandchildren. Her husband of 27 years, Robert Tuthill, died in 2007. Memorial gifts may be made to Pathways Hospice, 585 North Mary Ave., Sunnyvale, CA 94085, or Breast Cancer Con-nections, 390 Cambridge Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94306.

■ OBITUARY Caltrain faces fiscal emergency

The deadline is approaching for senior citizens in the Menlo Park City School District to file for an exemption from parcel taxes. Homeowners aged 65 or older as of July 1 may file for an

exemption by Monday, June 1. Anyone who would like an exemption application may pick one up at the Menlo Park library, Little House Senior Center, 800 Middle Ave. in Menlo Park, or the school district office, 181 Encinal Ave. in Atherton. For information, call Carol Metzler at 321-7140, ext. 5603. There are three annual parcel taxes currently levied in the school district, which encom-passes portions of Menlo Park, Atherton and adjacent unin-corporated areas. Currently, the April 2000 parcel tax is $370.30, Measure A is $108.62, and Mea-sure B is $81.76.

Senior tax exemption for MP schools

‘Sleeping Beauty’ Peninsula Youth Theatre stages Kate Hawley’s “Sleeping Beauty,” a twist on the classic talk, May 9-17 at the Mountain View Cen-ter for the Performing Arts, 500 Castro St. in Mountain View. Among those in the cast are Chelsea Venuti of Saratoga in the title role; the prince, played

by Wyatt Burnett of Menlo Park; a bear, by Danielle Mit-gang of Menlo Park; Little Bo Peep, by Emma Wiszowaty of Portola Valley; and Hansel and Gretel, by Mario Nunes Ober of Sunnyvale and Olivia Cobb of Mountain View. Tickets are $7-$18. For infor-mation, call 903-6000 or go to www.pytnet.org.

22 ■ The Almanac ■ May 6, 2009

Rail bond would impact education spendingEditor: I’m not sure why we are even thinking about building high-speed rail right now. As highlighted by the propo-nents of Proposition 1A last year, passing the bond measure did not raise taxes. Unfortunately, as was made painfully aware in the latest budget talks, without increased revenue, paying off any high-speed rail bonds will come at the expense of existing programs. Since education is the largest part of the California state budget that is not dispersed by manda-tory allocations, every dollar spent on high-speed rail bonds will inevitably take about 60 cents from California public schools. To put that in perspective, without revenue expansion, $10 billion in bond principal and $10 billion in estimated inter-est will cost California schools about $12 billion. That’s a lot of money being sucked from the public school system. I would rather hold on to our

teachers and adequately fund schools for my children, a benefit I would appreciate every day, rather than have a quicker train ride to LA once a year. If you agree, write or call your elected representa-tives and encourage them to fund what we have to have (education), rather than what we would like to have (high-speed rail). If we are intent on mortgag-ing our children’s future today, I would also rather spend it on something we really need, like rebuilding our water delivery system. Our state’s water system was built 30 years ago to accom-modate about 18 million people. California now has about 36 million people and is expected to have about 48 million by 2020. For about the same cost as the first installment of the high-speed rail bonds ($10 billion) Senate Bill 371 proposes to rebuild the water system by lever-aging those funds and matching funds from other sources to rebuild our water system. If we build high-speed rail there is no way California will have enough money to fund critical infra-structure projects. When we run out of water, a quicker trip to LA will not sound so crucial.

Paul QuinlanMaple Avenue, Atherton

Speed enforcement needed at I-280 intersection

Editor: I was pleased to read that the speed limit on westbound Wood-

side Road at Highway 280 has been reduced following the tragic death of cyclist Michelle Mazzei. However, in my view, new

We are happy to see City Manager Glen Rojas at least talking to employee unions about how they might work together to cut costs, as Menlo Park begins in

earnest to reduce a projected shortfall of $2 million or more in next year’s budget. The outreach effort follows a request by the City Council to work with unions on cutting costs, and Mr. Rojas is quick to point out that his goal at this point is not to discuss layoffs or pay reductions, but simply to seek suggestions from employees about how the city can save money in the next

and subsequent fiscal years. This strategy is in keeping with prior budget discussions. Both Mr. Rojas and Mayor Heyward Robinson have cautioned that

residents would not be happy to see projects dropped, or service levels reduced — the likely outcome of any reduction in city staff, according to Mr. Rojas. At least for now, it appears that the city’s approximately 260 employees are safe from any forced reduction. But Mr. Rojas’ outreach gives us hope that the city may actu-ally be thinking about asking its unions to consider voluntary salary reductions as a way to help close a budget shortfall of $2 million or more. By making such an overture, and sharing it with the public, the city could at least get the idea on table. These are extraordinary times, by most accounts the worst since the Great Depression. Given stagnant sales tax revenue, as well as the ever-present threat that a nearly bankrupt state government will attempt to extract even more from cities and special districts, the city needs to do everything it can to spread the budgetary pain, beyond increasing the utility users tax and drawing from the reserve fund.

We believe there is more than enough room to reduce the sala-ries of most city employees — union and non-union — who earn $50,000 or more per year. In fact, the city should ask selected work-ers to give up a portion of the increases most are due to receive in the next 12 months. This would be relatively easy for rank and file police officers and the sergeants who oversee them, due to the gen-erous increases they have received during the last year. For example, in early January, the council approved a raise that will increase the total pay for eight police sergeant posi-tions 30 percent — from $107,086 to $131,452 — by 2011. In that year, the new sergeants’ contract will cost the city $2.29 mil-lion, $529,000 more than the $1.76 million it paid in the current 2008-09 fiscal year. By 2011, base pay for officers will increase 25 percent. Those salary hikes were the focal points of a city effort to bring police salaries into line with those of comparable Midpeninsula communities. But the high salary and benefit levels for all city employees, including the ability of police officers to retire at 90 percent of their highest pay after 30 years of service, underlines what some see as a giant gap between city pay levels and what is currently being paid in private industry. At this time, everyone in the city is aware of the terrible eco-nomic conditions faced by all cities and private industry. We believe most employees would embrace a fair and equitable plan for all city employees to contribute a small portion of their compensation to help solve the problem. If all employees agreed to take a modest pay cut, it could go a long way toward reduc-ing the budget gap, and set a standard of cooperation between employees and management that would be the envy of similar-sized cities up and down the Peninsula.

Ideas, thoughts and opinions about local issues from people in our community. Edited by Tom Gibboney.

EDITORIALThe opinion of The Almanac

LETTERSOur readers write

Menlo Park Historical Association

Our Regional HeritageCentral Grammar School, Menlo Park’s first public school house, opened in October 1874 on the east side of what is now El Camino Real, south of Glenwood Avenue. In Victorian style, there were separate entrances and playgrounds for boys and girls in the four-room school, which included an armory and library on the second floor.

Time for Menlo’s workers to chip in

See LETTERS, next page

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■ WHAT’S YOUR VIEW?

By Linda Craig

The League of Women Vot-ers does not concur with The Almanac’s

recommendations on the May 19 ballot measures, although we agree that the choices are terrible. We really regret that we must oppose Propositions 1A, 1C, 1D and 1E. We are neutral on 1B and have no position on 1F. We feel that this package of measures, cobbled together to enable the state Legislature to pass a bud-get at the last moment, does not address real reforms that are needed to get California out of this continuing financial mess. Our organization is one of the few that cares about how the state government works. Based on our prior studies and mem-ber agreement, we encourage the removal of provisions in the Constitution that inhibit flex-ibility of governmental action to meet changing conditions. We specifically object to the additional restrictions on state spending, particularly because there are already huge constitu-tional restrictions on spending that make the act of approving a budget very difficult. We will

be working on reforms to the budget process in the future. The state should have a pru-

dent reserve. Propo-sition 1A, however, establishes overly restrictive new rules for transferring money into our “rainy day” reserve fund, and for how and when funds in that reserve could be used. The priorities prescribed by 1A would

be set in the state Constitution, eliminating the flexibility our elected leaders need to address changing demands for public services in the future. Proposi-tion 1A permits the governor to have unilateral authority to cut many types of spending for general state operations or capi-tal outlay. And 1A’s formulas would lock in a reduced level of services based on cuts made in these difficult years, even after the economy turns the corner toward recovery. The League really has a prob-lem with the securitization of future lottery revenues to bal-ance the budget. Proposition 1C would allow the sale of billions of dollars of long-term bonds secured by and repaid by future state lottery revenue. This kind

of borrowing is a bad idea. Bonds makes sense for long-term capi-tal projects such as schools and roads, but these bonds are a one-time fix to cover part of our budget deficit. With California’s low credit rating and the tough economy, the bonds could sell at very unfavorable rates for the state — if they sell at all. Propositions 1D and 1E would divert funds from important pro-grams to the state general fund. We oppose these transfers. We do not accept that the defeat of these measures could mean the downfall of the state. There are options. We urge the Legislature and the governor to do their jobs to resolve the ongoing structural deficit in the state budget, before inserting strict formulas into the Constitution. There are revenue options, there are choices for eliminating tax deductions, or exemption. For the moment the federal government is providing emergency funds to address the greater economic issues. The League will be working toward more comprehensive reform in the future.Linda Craig is advocacydirector for the League of Women Voters of California, and lives in Menlo Park.

By Warren Cain

The following is a two-part story. Please bear with me. The Economy:

I read and hear expert opinions on how we can cope with the recession/depression we are in. Lit-tle is said about one huge expenditure: the cost of our military. I’ve read we have over 200,000 soldiers (plus support services) overseas. This costs bil-lions and is increasing each day. Release from this bur-den would do wonders for the economy. Along with fighting two wars, we also have military stationed in areas where past wars have been over for years. For example: Oki-nawa, Japan (64 years); Europe (60 years); and so on. Add to this our presence in Central America

and countless other places. Our current wars are not winnable. In six years in Iraq, success is minimal. In Afghani-

stan, it’s a stalemate in a country where Rus-sia, with all its power, failed. Yet we are pur-suing the same fate. I am not anti-mili-tary. But I am anti-idi-otic behavior, and that is what we are doing. Who elected us to be police-man and adviser to the planet? The world views

us as war mongers. Our reputa-tion is dismal. In a nutshell, it’s time for us to “shape up.” I have worn the uniform of our country and I was proud. Now the pride is diminishing. Years ago the League of Nations was formed. It is now the United Nations. Their pur-pose is to prevent conflicts and

provide humanitarian aid. We should fully support this and get out of this ridiculous viewpoint that only we can do it all. Jobs: I purchased a pair of scissors the other day. At home I read they were made in a foreign country. It seems that every-thing we buy these days is made elsewhere. Are our workers so inept that they can’t produce? I don’t think so. Clothes, hard-ware, food, and other things come from afar. I was shocked to find that even large steel por-tions of our bridges are supplied from Asia. We must stop this — it is costing jobs. Let’s start with what we did a time ago. It’s Buy American. Buy only goods that are marked “Made in U.S.A.” on the label. Sure, we should welcome foreign companies to make products here, but only if they employ our workers. This costs a little at the start, but with the competitive-ness of industry and the coop-eration of all organizations, we can win and jobs will return. To sum up: 1. Bring our people home now. They deserve it. No more secret body bags and damaged men and women. 2. Buy American.Warren Cain lives in Menlo Park.

signs are not enough. I believe that for the first few weeks there needs to be a police presence to enforce the new speed limit.

I travel that section of road frequently and have been tail-gated, honked at, yelled at and gestured at by impatient driv-ers who wouldn’t even observe the 45 mph speed limit in their haste to get on the freeway.

Kacy McClureStevick Drive, Atherton.

May 6, 2009 ■ The Almanac ■ 23

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LETTERS

Continued from previous page

24 ■ The Almanac ■ May 6, 2009

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