Letters

Light rail line won't decrease traffic congestion

Hopefully the opinion piece in the Feb. 6 issue of the Los Gatos Weekly-Times will cause some discussion of light rail and transportation in the valley. From the Internet a 49-page study from Harvard by Jonathan Richmond titled "A Whole-System Approach to Evaluating Urban Transit Investments" is available. In it, the author argues, "In no case has new rail service been shown to have a noticeable impact upon highway congestion or air quality."

From the Competitive Enterprise Institute in Washington, D.C., is a 22-page study by James Delong titled, "Myths of Light-Rail Transit," which is an eye opener. He documents that the light rail option is 20 times as costly as bus service in terms of demand on local capital funds. He also reports that light rail is not rapid, not high capacity, does not decongest roads, is not cost-effective and promotes land use counter to most peoples' values.

From the Cascade Policy Institute in Oregon there is a study by John Charles titled, "The Mythical World of Transit Oriented Development," which contradicts Mr. Diridon's report of the advantages of TODs.

The author was unable to obtain from any agencies a single study showing that TODs reduce congestion, improve air quality, protect open space or make neighborhoods more livable. Finding evidence to the contrary was not difficult.

The new light rail line from San Jose to the Woolworth nursery on Winchester in Campbell has been reported to cost $340 million. It is projected to carry 9,000 passenger trips a day. There will be 139 parking spaces at Winchester and none at Campbell or Hamilton avenues. Are 9,000 trips possible with limited parking? Counting two trips per person, in and back, we have 4,500 passengers a day.

Studies show that 65 percent of new rail users were previous bus riders and that 35 percent, or 1,575, were previous auto drivers. Autos normally carry 1.2 passengers and so hopefully 1,312 cars will be removed from the highway each day at a cost of $250,000 per car. Of interest: A normal traffic lane adjacent to a light rail line will carry two to five times more passengers than the light rail.

Finally, in reviewing the Valley Transportation Plan 2020, it is noted that during the next 20 years, 80 percent of funds are to be spent on rail. Page nine reports that freeway capacity is to be increased only 4 percent while jobs are to increase 21 percent. It clearly and honestly states congestion ahead.

The voters have just supported a bond issue with a campaign slogan of "Traffic Relief Now," led by the Silicon Valley Manufacturers Group and yet we find there are no plans for traffic relief. Before spending the proposed $8 billion on transportation, we should have a plan the experts agree will advance our needs.

There are solutions and hopefully Rod Diridon's commentary will open a discussion as to where they can be found. We can and must do better.

Lowell Grattan
Los Gatos

Whole Foods patron says higher prices worth it

I had resigned myself some time ago to the recognition that the "cartoons" you publish by DeCinzo are utterly lacking in humor, taste, intelligence or any sort of insightful commentary whatsoever. It's been merely an annoyance to ignore. With the publication of the bizarre attack on Whole Foods Market, I finally feel compelled to respond.

Does it cost more to shop at Whole Foods? Of course it does. It's more expensive for them to stock foods that are grown and prepared with care, many of them locally. It's more expensive for them to employ and train people who are genuinely friendly and professional. It's more expensive for them to listen and respond to customer suggestions and to continually conduct the research necessary to maintain their high standards.

If DeCinzo prefers to save money by shopping where they push chemical-laden, processed, packaged foods where service consists solely of unhappy, underpaid checkout clerks, where cleanliness is maintained just barely enough to comply with the law, then he is welcome to that choice. But to criticize a store that provides a healthier, more pleasant, environmentally friendly choice is shameful, and does not reflect the views of the Los Gatos folks who crowd Whole Foods Market daily.

David D. Pounds
Los Gatos

WVC not a college, but big, growing 'company'

Today West Valley College is a California state college that happens to be located in our community and therefore should not be funded with local school bonds. Over time, state laws have explicitly separated community colleges from their K-12 roots and turned them into businesses serving the state and the public.

The state pays WVC to carry out a large number of mandated functions including infusing education into welfare and other social programs sponsored by the state. Furthermore, the state pays more if the college can grow its enrollment. To generate required income, WVC knows it must increase its share of the public that take courses. But its local service area alone cannot produce the market share that's needed.

Therefore, in the late 1980s, aggressive recruitment of students outside the original boundaries of the district was undertaken, and WVC now offers courses to practically all interested students, wherever they are.

College documents show that 65 percent of WVC students are from outside its immediate service area.

The fact is, West Valley is best viewed as a big and growing company (that provides high-quality educational services) located in the middle of a Saratoga residential area. A major problem is that this growing company does not want to follow Saratoga ordinances, and even forced a lawsuit in this regard. It's well documented that WVC believes it no longer has to honor agreements it made that were fundamental to getting permission to build its campus in Saratoga.

James E. Burke, Ph.D.
Saratoga

Fire department lauded for quick response, personal attention

I would like to express my tremendous appreciation to the fire stations that responded to the two-alarm fire on Milbrae Lane in Los Gatos on Feb. 3. As the property manager for the building, I was called to the scene at 2 a.m. on Sunday and, upon my arrival, found that all 16 tenants had been vacated from their apartments and the fire was still in progress.

My primary motivation for writing this letter is to praise the firefighters for keeping the entire situation so well under control. Even among all of this activity, I was given frequent updates as to the status of the fire and the probability of occupancy for the displaced tenants. Although only one of the eight units was completely lost to the fire, the other seven units had been meticulously "tarped" by the firefighters to prevent water and smoke damage to the residents' furniture and personal property.

Additionally, each tenant was given an individual escort as necessary to re-enter their residences as many of the tenants were forced to vacate without shoes, coats or sweaters, even in freezing temperatures.

By about 4 a.m., the fire department declared that five of the eight units were safe for occupancy and coordinated with PG&E to reestablish gas and electrical service for those units. The remaining residents were provided hotel accommodations or made arrangements to stay with friends. As the sun began to rise at 6 a.m., the fire was finally extinguished, and all residents were safe and likely back asleep after the exhausting events.

In the meantime, the fire department continued its final efforts and coordinated with Draegers Construction to seal off the destroyed apartment.

We are all grateful that there were no injuries and damage was minimal. What really made the difference was the additional care, communications, attention to detail and the time devoted to keeping everyone updated and informed.

Helen E. Pastorino
Georgia Inc., Campbell

Vote 'no' on Measure E for a variety of reasons

Measure E: It's a Bad Idea. Why?

* Because it gives no guarantee that bond money will be used to "repair, renovate and refurbish classroom facilities."

* Because the district's basic skills improvement, the number of "transfer prepared" students and the number of degrees granted are all below that of Foothill-DeAnza and San Jose-Evergreen districts--in spite of the district's receipt of $11 million over the past three years to improve academic performance!

* Because the WV-MCC board is planning to spend a minimum of $5 million of our bond money to construct a stadium by calling the stadium a "classroom facility"!

* Because $22 million of the bond proceeds are slated to pay off past long-term debts of the district!

* Because it requires residents to pay $3 in new property taxes for every dollar the district receives!

* Because by the time the $268 million bond is repaid over 38 years, it will [probably] cost taxpayers more than $700 million!

Let's clean up the inconsistencies, solve some of the management, organizational, fiscal and academic problems, and make realistic and achievable plans for improvement before we throw more money at the problems. Vote 'no' on Measure E.

Wanda Broadie
Los Gatos

LG will start looking like a subdivision of San Jose

What's up with the planning commission? Why don't we just get a sign proclaiming, "Welcome to Los Gatos, a subdivision of downtown San Jose"? A few weeks ago, the planning commission reverses something it seemed to have been working on for years and allows Greenbriar to build homes on some of our last available open land. Some general comments were that Greenbriar has worked so hard, and we should grant their proposal.

Now I see that our planning commission is going to allow a 288,000-square-foot research building and 135 apartments on 12.3 acres. Many residents are afraid of the problems this will bring, including added traffic congestion and decreased safety for our citizens, but the commission did not seem to take that into consideration.

The initials of our planning commission, PC, seem to fit, as they seem to be more concerned over what is politically correct, and with not ruffling the feathers of the giant corporations, than with listening to the citizens of Los Gatos. Obviously they are willing to trade the small-town flavor of Los Gatos for the big-time bucks. I am deeply saddened by this, as I know are many of my friends and neighbors.

Pam Ashford
Los Gatos

Police Report

Mark Mayfield: 'Fear Factor'

Local Home Sales and Property Listings

Photo: Wild, Wild West

Picture From the Past

Sports Briefs

Escobar wins CCS title, state berth

Wildcats face Lancers in CCS basketball semi's

Los Gatos to hold soccer tryouts