In his cartoon in the June 23 Cupertino Courier, DeCinzo expressed my feelings totally in regard to the "Perspectives" sculpture at Cali Mill Plaza.

It almost matches the wonderful buildings that look like prisons across the street, which I believe were voted "most ugly" in the valley a few years ago.

I don't think the majority of Cupertino residents will venture to this park to sit and watch the traffic zip by and smell the wonderful fumes.

A better use of $150,000 would have been to give it to the new library that is short of money.

Barbara Johnson

Cupertino resident for 35 years

Old morion would have represented city better

Art—to this unsophisticated observer—is whatever emotions it evokes in the beholder, ranging from admiration, to astonishment to revulsion.

My question is: Whatever happened to the morion, the conquistador helmet, that for years graced a place between city hall and the library, which has more in common with the history of our city, is a blend of art and exquisite workmanship, a copy of it was gifted to our sister city in Japan, was featured on postcards, is displayed on city vehicles.

It could have been re-erected in the plaza at a monumental savings instead of "that," whatever it is or means or evokes.

Jerry H Smith

Cupertino

CCC good but initiatives
promote suburban sprawl

Regarding the Cupertino initiatives, I love citizen groups that influence public policy in a positive way. I was impressed with the CCC website and enjoyed reading its three initiatives. What a talented group. However, I am opposed to all three initiatives.

Suburban sprawl does not need protection. Los Angelization should be resisted, not promoted. With energy prices rising, walking, biking and transit options are the future; smog-producing, drive-everywhere, land-use patterns are not.

If the CCC wants to improve Cupertino, I suggest that the group ask the city to amend its off-street parking ordinances to include provisions that reward companies that choose to implement sufficiently rewarding car-parking cash-out programs (extra money paid to employees each time they choose to not drive to work). We need a city with more choices, not fewer choices.

Mike Bullock

Cupertino

Unfair to deny couple a
chance at Blue Pheasant

I watched in disbelief, then horror and sadness as the Cupertino City Council at its June 21 meeting denied the application of two enthusiastic young people to take over the operation of the city's Blue Pheasant restaurant.

The two, a husband and wife team, were selected by the Rasmussen family, who've operated the restaurant and are now ready to retire. The Rasmussens did their homework in selecting those two people, concerned that the restaurant would continue to be operated in a manner that would maintain the Rasmussens' reputations seamlessly.

The Rasmussens assured the applicants and the city that they would help the couple get started, even guarantee their efforts, and that a family member would often be present to provide experienced "hand-holding" and guidance.

What better candidates could there be?

The Rasmussens were young and inexperienced once. They learned and were able to run the Blue Pheasant in good times and bad times for 30 years. Would this city council have approved them to operate the restaurant even though they were young and inexperienced?

Is the message now "Never give a new business operator a chance?" How much experience running the city did the members of the city council have when they first were elected?

The female member of the team indicated she had 12 years experience and that she has been learning about the food industry all her life.

I was surprised and pleased to see Councilman Richard Lowenthal be the one to vote for the young couple and their endeavor. The other four council members cavalierly denied the application, with no consideration for the fact that the couple had sold two of their successful fast-food franchises in order to embark upon this new venture—anticipating their own 30 years of success as operators of the Blue Pheasant. The couple's future must now be redirected, but I'm sure they will survive.

The "killers of the dream" shot them down. For shame. Operating a franchise has to be much more stressful, with the franchise companies watching their every move and demanding performance. I believe that the couple has proven themselves to be potentially great stewards of the Rasmmussens' reputation and the historical Blue Pheasant restaurant

So what now? The Cupertino City Council members have set themselves up for a fall. They must now find someone else to take over from the Rasmussens. That has to be someone council members must guarantee will not fail, since they have deemed themselves experts in judging whether the applicant will be successful or not. That is their burden.

I fear the standards are set so high that the only choice is to rehire the Rasmussens or someone else with 30 years of demonstrated success. No young entrepreneurs need apply.

Ron Moore

Cupertino