By James L. Stuart
We are only one month into the new year, but it is already time to hold some people accountable for some New Year's resolutions and predictions.
In the Jan. 3 Saratoga News, the editor wrote the following about the upcoming campaign for Measure G (the Saratoga Neighborhood Preservation Initiative): "I urge Saratogans . . . [to] campaign with dignity and mutual respect." Instead, the City Council has decided to take the low road and campaign with lies and dirty tricks.
Last week, the council sponsored a "phone survey" that was actually a well-designed attempt to intimidate Saratoga voters. People from outside the community were paid to staff phone banks and call Saratogans and spread blatant lies about Measure G, under the guise of conducting a phone poll.
For example, the poll asked: "Would you still support Measure G if it meant that you would lose control of your property for 30 years?" Hopefully, most people in this community are far too smart to tolerate that kind of campaign tactic.
In the Jan. 10 Saratoga News, I wrote: "It is going to be a dirty campaign. The council has signaled that their strategy will be to say anything, no matter how wild, and hope that they can scare or confuse residents." It was an easy prediction, and in less than a month I have been proved right.
The official ballot statement opposing Measure G, endorsed by the council, contains blatant lies. For example, it says that Measure G will "freeze Saratoga's land-use policies for the next 30 years." In fact, Measure G will not freeze anything and does not affect all land-use policies, either.
Another example: "In the last 24 years, not one residentially zoned parcel has been converted to commercial use." That is simply a lie. Within one week of signing a declaration that the opposition ballot argument was true and correct to his personal knowledge, Mayor Paul Jacobs sent a letter detailing a case in the mid-'80s where residentially zoned land was converted to commercial zoning.
Another example: "Recently the City Council unanimously rejected efforts to build a Home Depot on Saratoga Avenue." The council never voted to reject the proposal; they only discussed the topic informally. They were not unanimous. Councilmember Wolfe argued strongly that the proposal made good sense and should be explored.
A final example: "Special elections cost taxpayers and the city $60,000 per election." That is another lie. This March 26 election is a special election for Saratoga, and it will cost the city less than $7,000. Also, special elections under this initiative will cost the city and the taxpayers nothing if the City Council decides to pass the costs of the election to the developer requesting the general plan or zoning change, as the council should.
Space does not permit a discussion of all the misrepresentations and outright lies. The City Council obviously has no respect for the intelligence or good will of Saratoga residents, or they would not resort to such tactics.
James L. Stuart is a Saratoga
resident.
This article appeared in the Saratoga News, February 14, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved