Well, since the Contra Costa Times and its Walnut Creek Journal can't even get the figure right on the bond we'll be voting on a week from Tuesday, I guess you'll just have to trust us: $21 million in bonds is a foolish and foolhardy way to pay for the library. Just take a look at today's Journal cover story, where it become clear that parking revenues could be used to pay for a new library. But they wouldn't be as dependable as the taxman and your property. ... And the Times actually wants us to believe the City's library plan is finished, and the fruit of decades of work. Yeah? Then tell me why it keeps changing, won't you? (And do you think calling half your readers a "cadre" is a good way to win subscriptions?) ... To counter the newspaper spin paid for by downtown developer dollars and fancy consultants, the No on R campaign put out a flyer today. I found one when I came home from work - they even used this site's meme: "Save Civic Park" indeed! ... This flyer points out that final plans for the library (that means the environmental report, my Green friends) won't be ready until after the election. It points out that this election is for a financing scheme, not whether or not to build a new library. I agree - vote 'No' today absentee, or next Tuesday at the polls. We're winning. Thanks! ...
Thursday, October 27, 2005
Vote No on Measure R - Ignore the Times
Well, since the Contra Costa Times and its Walnut Creek Journal can't even get the figure right on the bond we'll be voting on a week from Tuesday, I guess you'll just have to trust us: $21 million in bonds is a foolish and foolhardy way to pay for the library. Just take a look at today's Journal cover story, where it become clear that parking revenues could be used to pay for a new library. But they wouldn't be as dependable as the taxman and your property. ... And the Times actually wants us to believe the City's library plan is finished, and the fruit of decades of work. Yeah? Then tell me why it keeps changing, won't you? (And do you think calling half your readers a "cadre" is a good way to win subscriptions?) ... To counter the newspaper spin paid for by downtown developer dollars and fancy consultants, the No on R campaign put out a flyer today. I found one when I came home from work - they even used this site's meme: "Save Civic Park" indeed! ... This flyer points out that final plans for the library (that means the environmental report, my Green friends) won't be ready until after the election. It points out that this election is for a financing scheme, not whether or not to build a new library. I agree - vote 'No' today absentee, or next Tuesday at the polls. We're winning. Thanks! ...
Sunday, October 23, 2005
No on R - It's all about the park
Sadly, recent Contra Costa Times articles have begun to toe a heavily pro-Measure R line. ... Contrast that with the recent piece in the San Francisco Chronicle, which takes a very fair look at the arguments around the library. ... For us, the central issue has always been the mega-parking garage planed for the corner of Broadway and Lincoln. A garage there is not right for the park, and will only encourage future high-density redevelopment of the beautiful old downtown. ...
The garage issue has taken a back-seat in much of the news coverage of Measure R, but we think plenty of people will vote 'No' when they learn of the 35-foot garage plan. Add to that the fact that Walnut Creek residents don't like to pay for their parking, and you have a losing proposition. ... We're becoming more confident that Measure R will fail, and hope that will force City Hall to bring real compromise to the table to build a reasonable new library. ... Citizens who have suggested that Civic Park is not the right place for a new garage and 42,000-square-foot library are correct. We'd like to see the City work with developers to site a large new library across the street from the movie theater, using the old Veterans site that now stands to become condos or more retail. ... The City has no trouble carving up our park; let them put their money where their mouth is. ... Measure R is also deeply flawed, as many citizens are pointing out, because it puts a new tax burden on only a small portion of the people who will use a new downtown branch. ... The City, which loves to roll out the red carpet for car dealers and their sales taxes, should put a quarter-cent sales tax hike on the ballot to fund library revenue bonds instead of the current discriminatory property tax. ...
The garage issue has taken a back-seat in much of the news coverage of Measure R, but we think plenty of people will vote 'No' when they learn of the 35-foot garage plan. Add to that the fact that Walnut Creek residents don't like to pay for their parking, and you have a losing proposition. ... We're becoming more confident that Measure R will fail, and hope that will force City Hall to bring real compromise to the table to build a reasonable new library. ... Citizens who have suggested that Civic Park is not the right place for a new garage and 42,000-square-foot library are correct. We'd like to see the City work with developers to site a large new library across the street from the movie theater, using the old Veterans site that now stands to become condos or more retail. ... The City has no trouble carving up our park; let them put their money where their mouth is. ... Measure R is also deeply flawed, as many citizens are pointing out, because it puts a new tax burden on only a small portion of the people who will use a new downtown branch. ... The City, which loves to roll out the red carpet for car dealers and their sales taxes, should put a quarter-cent sales tax hike on the ballot to fund library revenue bonds instead of the current discriminatory property tax. ...
Wednesday, October 05, 2005
No on R - Don't let them hide the ball
It's a simple fact: voting against Measure R at Schwarzenegger's Special Election will help stop a 121,000 square-foot, 35-foot tall parking garage that will forever ruin Civic Park. No tennis courts, fewer trees, and parking snafus that make today's traffic situation on Broadway cake. ... The Yes campaigns third slick mailer came today, but all the big developer money in Contra Costa County can't hide the simple facts. ...
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