Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Letters

It's time to go back and do our freeways right

I've had it.

One branch of my family has been in California since circa 1939. With pride they watched our state advance until it became a very nice place to live. As of circa 1940 a population of approximately eight million had adequate service for everyone. We had the finest road system in the nation. Our combined gas and electric rates were the lowest in the country.

True, we did have a misplaced real estate venture named Los Angeles that did have adequate services. "Importees" from the "hay belt" would brag about what they had in "L.A."

Now after about 50 years of growth to about 30 million, we seem to have a mess.

For example, we have Highway 17 over the mountain to Santa Cruz. The highway we built handled pre-WWII traffic nicely at its design speed of 45 mph. Now we expect the same highway to handle traffic counts far in excess of the design capacity at speeds up to...?

We almost got Highway 17 upgraded to freeway standards, but people shouted, "We don't want to become another Los Angeles."

When Highway 85 was in the planning stage, we had a chance to improve part of Highway 17. Now we have, among other things, the double weave between 17 and 85 and Lark Avenue. Someday one of us is going to get wiped out doing the double weave. I was surprised when our leaders didn't insist that Highway 85 be depressed under Los Gatos Creek.

Our local road system was adequate for 1940 traffic but obviously needed upgrading to handle growth. In a bond election on Jan. 6, 1961, funds were approved to start building a local, access-controlled, grade-separated expressways system. The 1961 funds were used to buy right of way and construct the first stage of the system. When the first stage of the system was completed, the plan was abandoned because newcomers who couldn't see what was going on said, "We've had enough. We don't want to become another Los Angeles."

At an earlier time, we had trouble with railroads and other monopolies. Under the guidance of one of our leaders, Hiram Johnson, we established a railroad commission. The commission established standards of operation and fixed rates. The rates were to be based on a fair return on the investment. Everything went well until our utilities, because of growth, were required to build additional facilities using inflated dollars to meet inflated costs. The place where the new people came from had the same old cheap system. Our rates changed from the lowest to the highest. Now we have deregulation that doesn't look like it is going to work.

Recently we hear a discussion about bicycle safety on Los Gatos Boulevard. No one seems concerned about how to get from Lark Avenue to Samaritan Boulevard on a bicycle. With the 85 project southbound Los Gatos Boulevard was upgraded, but the northbound side was compromised.

In passing, Los Angeles isn't its right name. Newcomers changed that.

Wouldn't it be nice if our leaders said, "Wha hoppa? Maybe we should go back a few years and pick up the pieces."

It isn't nice to complain while you freeload on someone else's providence.

Ed Steffani
Monte Sereno

Guests should have thanked Larry Todd

It was almost the perfect evening. I was only one in the almost sold-out crowd attending the annual Police Recognition Dinner at La Rinconada Country Club. The evening was beautiful, the food was delicious, the entertainment great and guests attending were people who truly care about our town, the people who we elect to run it and, more importantly, the people who protect us and our families on an hourly basis.

The honors were many that night, almost impossible to name all who have done so much at the risk of their own lives. The room was filled with admiration and respect and even some tears as Chief Todd expressed his personal gratitude to each and every person being honored. I know the Los Gatos Police Department is envied by many other communities because they have created and maintained a safe place for us to live, and we can all be proud of that.

Now to the point of my letter about "something missing." As the evening was coming to the end, I was disappointed that those of us in attendance weren't given the opportunity to say "Thank you" for a job well done to our own Chief Larry Todd. I know he will say when he reads this that "this was for my people, not me." But I say to him that without his tremendous dedication to his job and his staff and to us, there wouldn't be a safe town for us to celebrate living in. So for myself and all the other citizens in the room that night, I say from our hearts to yours, thanks for all you and your staff do for us to keep us safe.

Jan Morris
Los Gatos

Taxpayers deserve break on auto license fees

The editorial lamenting the loss of revenue if the governor reduces the automobile license tax sounded to me like the cry of a spoiled child. We the taxpayers in California have been carrying the load of one of the highest state taxes in the U.S. Now that a surplus in the budget exists, no one in the establishment, excluding the governor and most of the Republicans, wants to reward the taxpayers by reducing their tax burden.

The establishment, seeing a surplus, now wants to continue the old tax-and-spend philosophy. The automobile tax was not meant to benefit only the cities, and our current license tax rate is, I believe, the highest in the nation.

Let us support relieving some of the tax burden now being borne by us lowly taxpayers.

Jack I. Orlove
Los Gatos

Recreation board should be open to all Los Gatans

I just received the latest mailing from the Los Gatos-Saratoga Department of Community Education and Recreation. Included in this quarter's mailing is a call for interested parties to apply for an opening for governing board members.

I have long been interested in participating with the Rec Department, but upon reading further, I found that although I live in Los Gatos, I am not eligible to participate in deciding the direction that this community organization funded by our tax dollars will take. Why? Because I do not live within the boundaries of the Los Gatos-Saratoga Joint Union High School district!

This requirement is an injustice that needs to be addressed immediately.

Let's be clear on this: I live within the boundaries of the town of Los Gatos. My family and I participate in the activities listed in the brochure. However, I am prohibited from participating as a member of the governing board solely because I do not live in the Los Gatos- Saratoga Joint Union High School District.

Does this make sense? I don't think so!

I think this is grossly unfair. As a taxpaying citizen of Los Gatos, I pay taxes which go to support both the services and the facilities used, yet I have no say whatsoever in how those facilities are used, or what programs are implemented. Since approximately half the citizens in Los Gatos do not live within school district boundaries, this means that more than half the citizens of Los Gatos are not represented on this governing board. This makes no sense.

Are we lesser people because we don't live in the high school district? Are we less intelligent? Less interested? Clearly we are viewed as less qualified.

Whether we call it a parks and recreation department or a community education and recreation department, this organization is not, and should not be, a part of the high school district.

The recreation department exists for and should serve all Los Gatos residents equally. The school districts should participate as equal members of the community but should not be the sole decision-makers or representatives. All Los Gatos citizens should be represented on the governing board. I am sure that the school district will tell you that they do indeed represent the entire town, but let me assure you that is not the case.

In my experience, the school district is not only indifferent to those who are not in the district but in some cases is outright hostile.

I know that this issue has been raised to the governing board, and it has also been raised in front of the Town Council, yet the situation continues. I urge all citizens of Los Gatos to contact our mayor and Town Council, who are supposed to represent all of us, and urge them to correct this situation now so that interested, highly qualified candidates for the governing board, whether they reside in the school district or not, can be considered for the two current openings.

Debbi Behrman
Los Gatos

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