I hardly agree with Jan Black (Letters & Opinion Oct. 25) in response to canceling Cupertino's Octoberfest. It was one of the most fun events of the year, and people came from all over to enjoy the music and dancing.

I moved to Cupertino in l984 because of its community spirit and diversity. This no longer exists; now we have discrimination!

Frances Schweiknardt Thomson

Cupertino

Burglars can spot rich
residents in many ways

My weekly perusing of the Courier is often restricted to a brief glance at the crime blotter. Last week, by reluctantly branching out to read the letters section, I was shocked to find that even the mild-mannered Cupertino Courier had the heart to print racist letters from crabby dog-walkers.

I sincerely hope that Steve Albrecht (Letters & Opinion Oct. 26), while walking his dog that fateful evening to observe his neighbor's outdoor shoe collection, happened to discover his own house burgled. Perhaps it was the new BMW in the driveway that tipped the thieves off to the fact that this was home to a wealthy, albeit misguided, white man. Or maybe it was the Cupertino zip code, where the median income of its humble citizenry is a little over $100,000.

Perhaps Albrecht should be a bit more neighborly from now on. After all, community involvement and awareness is a superior deterrent against crime than careless racist quips.

Lola Martinez

Cupertino

Anyone can be homeless
in the current economy

The week proceeding Thanksgiving, Nov. 13-19, is National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. Its purpose is to educate and raise awareness of the tragedy and the disgrace of hunger and homelessness in the richest nation in the world.

Millions of Americans live on one paycheck, one illness or one rent hike away from homelessness. Today, a worker making minimum wage cannot afford housing at fair market rent anywhere in the United States, let alone in Santa Clara County, one of the highest rental markets in the country.

Homelessness is not just a problem of drug and alcohol addiction, as we sometimes want to believe. People experiencing homelessness are working mothers and fathers, older adults who are unable to make ends meet with their Social Security benefits, teenagers escaping dangerous situations, veterans who fought for this country and children trying to succeed despite very difficult circumstances.

For more information about Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, go to www.nationalhomeless.org or participate in one of the many activities being offered in this area.

It's time for Americans to take a stand to help the nation's most vulnerable citizens.

Bruce Slama, Norman Slama, Alfred G. Wigger, Shelly Leiser, Les Faby, Terry Rowe, Mary Terra

Cupertino

Marla Yonamino, Margaret Lawson, Robert E. Lawson, Janna Mitchell of Sunnyvale and Janice Wentz

Santa Clara

Council hears concerns
expressed by measures

All too often in the course of local politics, issues arise which divide neighbors and communities. Such is the case with Measures A, B and C initiated by the Concerned Citizens of Cupertino.

The citizens of Cupertino voted, but the votes were in no way an overwhelming mandate of the people. We have significant differences of opinion as to how we shall best guide our community towards a brighter future.

The message and values demonstrated by the CCC came across loud and clear. We all care about our community, but how we maintain and go forward is clearly controversial. As an elected council member, I recognize the challenge both myself and the new council will have in trying to best represent the interests of the community as a whole in guiding the future of our community.

The democratic process is not always easy, the political struggle to put one set of values above another is often a great challenge. We must, however, continue to commit ourselves to building a Cupertino that we can all be proud of and cherish.

Patrick S. Kwok,

Mayor of Cupertino

Money, misinformation
and mudslinging win

The opponents of Measures A, B and C won by a narrow margin. They spend about $30 per vote provided largely by developers, conducted a campaign of misinformation, and at the last minute, issued a mud-slinging flier at one candidate who had no opportunity to respond.

The supporters of A, B and C conducted a good faith campaign, spent about $2 per vote out of their own pockets and a lot of sweat equity in a grassroots citizens' effort.

What is the lesson learned from the election?

The lesson is that money, misleading information and mudslinging win elections in Cupertino. The best intentions of citizens to preserve the city they love are of little consequence.

City Hall opponents of the measures will now issue the usual call for reconciliation.

With nearly half the voters supporting the measures, such reconciliation will require that the new city council recognize and respond to their concerns in future decisions. To do otherwise will only perpetuate the situation that led to the measures in the first place.

Robert L. Garten

Cupertino

We can all benefit from
listening to one another

My sincere thanks to the dedicated friends and family members, who worked on my campaign for school board office, and to the thousands who voted for me.

I am pleased that my major views regarding the need for our Cupertino board to encourage public input were endorsed by the other candidates. By listening to one another, we can surely all benefit.

The future of our schools is important to us all.

Lynette Lee Eng

Los Altos