I have to ask what was the purpose of the article "Cutting out pyrotechnics sparks locals' patriotic ire?"

It's neither timely nor worthy of front page news. Bonzell's view is presented on the first five paragraphs, nearly covering the entire front page. That's hardly balanced reporting. It is inaccurate. What were the Bonzells watching during the four years in the 90s that didn't have fireworks? The reasons the mayor gave to cancel the fireworks sure makes sense to me. Any "undercurrent of racial tension" seems stirred by the Cupertino Courier.

—Ray Lee, Cupertino


Barricades make city's ugly and inconvenient

Larry Harrison's letter of July 16, 2003, gave us the historical view on the barricade at Bollinger Road and Kim Street.

However, the city of Cupertino itself has changed a lot over the years.

The barricade might have been OK 15 years ago; but it looks very ugly now in the current Cupertino environment.

It is very close to De Anza Boulevard and hurts Cupertino's image. The population of Cupertino has increased so much that the traffic in town now is quite congested.

Taxpayers in Cupertino have paid to build the road, so why is the road blocked? This makes it inconvenient for the residents in Cupertino.

I understand Larry's concern for keeping the neighborhood quiet. I believe most people in Cupertino have the same concern about their own neighborhood. However, if every neighborhood in Cupertino were to block their roads, I think the city of Cupertino wouldn't be the same as it is today.

—Xiao Luo, Cupertino


Barricade is now known as the 'De Anza cutoff'

Seems like Peter Tadin (letter to the editor July 9) is looking for any excuse to justify why he received a citation. The barricade has nothing to do with the fact that he will not read and follow traffic signs or directions. His argument is a straw man at best.

The barricade was put in at the present location as a further means of deterring him, as well as countless other commuters who have the same problem. That is, they are unwilling to follow the law because it inconveniences them.

As a further deterrent to those who won't read, and those who continue to force the gate open to damage it, the residents of the affected neighborhood have had to resort to calling upon the Sheriff's Department to enforce the law, where all other methods (including common sense) have failed.

About 87 percent of the affected neighborhoods have signed and delivered a petition to the city of Cupertino. For the past three years we have petitioned the city to return the street to its original status, that of the general plan in place when the housing development was developed. That is, closed to all through traffic.

We hoped this would happen since one of the campaign promises of our city council members was to divert commuter traffic off of our streets and onto the major traffic arteries for which they were designed. So much for campaign promises.

Our neighborhood is now known as the "De Anza cutoff."

Compounding school and commute traffic is the addition of the Home Depot store on S. De Anza Boulevard and all of the associated construction traffic generated by that store as well as large trucks who ignore the commercial-vehicle restrictions and take a "shortcut" through the neighborhoods.

We are truly a neighborhood under siege.

Despite the multiple problems of the neighborhood, our problem continues to appear as number two on the Traffic & Safety Committee calendar.

The current excuse is that we don't have the money to do a survey. (despite dozens of surveys completed in the past since the area was part of San Jose.)

As for Mr. Tadin—You broke the law, which is posted in plain sight I might add and got caught. An operational physical barrier is immaterial.

Kudos to the Sheriff's Department! This should happen many more times a day to those who violate the safety and tranquility of our neighborhood. Perhaps then, and only through their pockets, will they respect our neighborhood.

—Robert Hall, Neighbors for Safety and a Quieter Neighborhood, Cupertino


Too many projects are paid for by general fund

Despite limited resources, members of the city council and the city planning Commission have started to dip into the city's uncertain reserves by funding projects that never seem to be finished.

Money is still pouring into the building of the new library, which was started in 1999 and is still unfinished and funded by the general fund.

The Mary Bridge project has still not been completed after years of deliberation about the usefulness, and it's funded by the general fund.

Services have been curtailed, such as "No fireworks on the Fourth of July;" apparently many people in the community were not happy about it. This, too, is funded by the general fund.

Several areas are facing cuts by the city council and/or the planning commission to cover an estimated $31,365,000 in operating expenditures, as well as continue to fund some so-called major capital improvement projects that are funded by the general fund.

Drastic changes are also planned for The Oaks. The movie house is going to disappear; townhouses will be erected in that area or maybe even low-income housing for which there appears to be a never-ending need. Then there is Vallco. When will all this high-density building stop; when will Cupertino again become the friendly suburban area we are so proud of?

The planning commission, the developers and some of our own city council members are being overanxious in deciding on changes, which will further overpopulate Cupertino.

—Anna Black, Cupertino