Letters

Housing plan just a smoke screen

I recently attended an informal meeting held by the City of Cupertino on Below Market Housing (Courier, Feb. 16). This meeting was meant to offer citizens and workers employed in the city an opportunity to purchase home as a reasonable price. However, it became clear that the Cupertino City Council was only providing a smoke screen, selecting individuals who meet their biased requirements.

The restrictions of the program disappointed me as an employee of the school district and as president of Chapter 237 of the California School Employees Association. Our chapter represents the classified employees within the Fremont Union High School District.

The city acknowledged the FUHSD as a public service employer, but displayed its bias and discriminating face by allowing only teachers to qualify under this section.

By excluding the classified employees from the opportunity, I feel the Council slapped the hard-working FUHSD school employees in the face.

We are good enough to provide the foundation of excellent schools and support the children of Cupertino, but not good enough to live in your city? I understand the need to attract and retain teachers, but school support staff also are in dire need of finding affordable housing. The classified staff are paid a much lower wage and many travel long distances to work in your city. They are every bit as important to the school system as the teachers.

After discussing our grievances, the employees and members of our chapter want to send a message that a great deal of consideration is being given to our chapter not supporting any of the incumbent city officials for re-election. You need a reminder that our union represents thousands of voters in the Cupertino area, and we engage heavily in the electoral process.

Ruben Delgado, president
Mary Smith, vice president
Carol Phillips, secretary
Ted Shinta, treasurer
Ginny Yandow,
past president
CSEA Chapter 237

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