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The Moon Festival, which is dedicated to cross-cultural understanding and unity, turned into a rancorous battle this year when Councilwoman Kris Wang decided the running of the festival should change hands. Many feel the feud lay between Lucia Wu, the president of the festival, and Wang. The battle reached such heated proportions that Wu at one time proposed a recall of Wang. Now, however, there is a temporary truce in their contentious relationship.
"Right now we are going to focus on doing the festival," said Wu, who first floated her recall intention in July. Those plans are now on hold until after the Moon Festival--an ancient Chinese celebration of the summer harvest and the autumn equinox--takes place Sept. 18. At that time, Wu says she will revisit her recall effort.
The recall attempt was the latest in a series of skirmishes between the Moon Festival committee and Wang. Last spring, Wang proposed the Moon Festival be co-hosted by the Cupertino-Hsinchu Sister City Association. Wang says she believes funds from such a festival could help fund a student-exchange program with the Taiwanese sister city--much as the Cherry Blossom Festival helps sponsor exchanges with Cupertino's sister city in Japan.
In part, Wang's proposal was rooted in her belief that the festival should more directly benefit Cupertino. In a recent interview, she said the festival was a big expense for the city during times of budget cuts, especially given that the festival's headquarters are in Saratoga and that none of its board members live in Cupertino.
Members of the Moon Festival Committee, who have been organizing the event since it started, say the festival has been benefiting the city and that Wang is using her political muscle as a councilwoman to take over the festival.
"She thinks she can do anything," Wu said of Wang, "but she doesn't know anything about the nonprofit boardship."
The recall effort occurred after Wang attempted to audit the Moon Festival's books. The Moon Festival's board of directors also asked Wang to stop interfering with its event and to apologize.
Wang said she feels no need to apologize. With her focus on other issues, she also hopes to move past the Moon Festival problems. "I don't feel we need to react on it," she said of the recall. "We just have to keep working on things we have to work on ... policy review, the new library." She also added her focus was on serving the citizens of Cupertino. "We have to look at the big picture," she said. "We can't please everybody, and we have to do what's best for the community."
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