See the red balloon? It's really green.

That's what Paul Fong, the developers at Vallco and Bubb Road, and the Cupertino City Council want you to believe. They want you to think that the red balloon of higher-density housing, higher population density, crowded schools and increased traffic congestion is really the green balloon of cheaper housing, better schools, less crowding and community improvement.

The Cupertino City Council reminds me of the husband who, when his wife finds him in bed with another woman, says incredulously, "Honey, who ya gonna believe, me or your lying eyes?"

Cupertino has insulted just about every group in the city, from folks who have to pay fees to park in front of their own home to usurious solar energy fees for people who are trying to actually conserve energy; from fees to go to a public park like Stevens Creek Dam to the soldiers at Heaven's Gate cemetery who gave their last measure of sacrifice for our country; from the homeowners who are impacted by condominium development gone amuck to the trails, footpaths and access areas unbuilt and unrealized; from the unconscionable push-polling by outside phone banks in the last election cycle, to the Paul Fongs who write in this paper who actually think that the general public is so stupid and sheepish that we would believe that a red balloon is really green.

I hate to burst your balloon, but you can run right down to city hall and get another. They have red balloons down there, but they will tell you they are really green.

Michael Jordan

Cupertino

City council is ignoring
those who elected them

As a former 25-year Cupertino resident, I'm concerned about what the city has become. The city council and its minions seem hellbent on listening to, and cashing checks from, developers while ignoring those who elected them and actually live in the city.

The recent (and very biased) Paul Fong propaganda mailing is one example. Residents who are against the proposal should mail back the postage-paid card, but write a very clear (and large) no.

Sending Fong (or whoever paid for the mailing) a note thanking him/them for the stamp would be a nice gesture, but it would probably be interpreted as support for the project.

As for the crane collapse at Vallco, news reports have not mentioned this is at least the second major accident involving a roof collapse. I would not go there even if the mall had decent shops. Who knows what other safety shortcuts are taken in the rush to generate revenue for the city/developers?

Before council members approve any 24-hour construction work, they should be required to pitch a tent at the work site for the duration. That way they would know what their subjects have to put up with.

The city also needs to crack down on illegal signs. Seeing two dozen signs on the freeway offramps for various scams does not really say "Welcome to Cupertino."

Matt Conens

Medford, Ore.