I had the privilege of attending both the March 2 and March 8 Saratoga City Council study sessions and was very impressed with the method presented by the city manager to reorganize the city spending. The accumulated business background of the Saratoga City Council was evident as they tackled this difficult task using the complex but I believe fair method presented to them. This process of decision-making, we were told by a member of the audience, is used by many companies that, like Saratoga's city government, are being forced to downsize.

Representations from different organizations were given the opportunity to state the difficulties they would face if they lose their city subsidy. After listening to their statements and learning the current level of city funding, I appreciate and understand the financial constraints on the city and their effects on our community.

Watching the city council struggle to prioritize funding levels, hearing each council member explain why they made their decision and listening to the debates that followed, I also understand so much more and sympathize with our city council, the city manager and the city staff.

My disappointment is not with the decision-making process but with the poor attendance and the criticism from people who were not even present at these meetings.

I know how impossible it is to please all of the people. I, for one, applaud the city manager for his choice of strategy, the city council members for sharing their decision-making with the community and the city staff for the hours of work it must have taken to prepare and tabulate this process.

Sheila Arthur,

Interim Executive Director
Saratoga Chamber of Commerce

'Yes' on measures A, B investments in community

What a sad day it would be if our Saratoga Library had to close another two days each week because our citizens failed to vote for the two modest measures on the ballot on May 3. For a city that is proud of its academic institutions and the accomplishments of its students, this should never occur. Books, news media, videos and the Internet are vital for the enlightenment of all of us.

Another service that the Saratoga Library provides is its support for important community events.

Please vote "yes" on measures A and B. I cannot think of a better investment for our community.

Fred Armstrong, M.D.

Saratoga

Friends hope for support
of library measures A, B

Voters have recently received a mail-in ballot containing two very important measures concerning the Saratoga Library.

Should these measures fail to pass by the required two-thirds, we will see our lovely library closed the equivalent of three days a week. This past fall, we were open 58 hours a week, today we are open 50 hours. Should these measures fail, we will be open 36 hours a week.

Whether you personally use the library is not at issue here. Having an excellent library is a great asset to the community and great value to your property. We are fortunate to have a community that in recent years has voted to improve school facilities, the library and a fire station. All these have helped to create a demand for Saratoga properties, and have made Saratoga a better place to live.

The dollar amount asked for in these two measures is miniscule. A latte a day from a local coffee shop at $2.50 equals $912.50 per year. A 13-cent contribution a day to the library equals $45.66 per year. Can't we all afford this to ensure excellent library service in Saratoga?

Every dollar collected from Saratoga library district residents is returned to the Saratoga Library.

Please send your ballot in today to support your library.

Marcia Manzo, President

Friends of the Saratoga Libraries

Boxer has what it takes to
be senator--enough votes

I write this letter in response to W.E. Sirvatka's March 23 letter to the Saratoga News on the subject of Barbara Boxer.

Sirvatka asks, "What are her bona fides to be a senator?" For those of us who believe in representative democracy, Boxer has the most important qualification of all. In 2004, she received more than 6.9 million votes, the highest total for any candidate in the nation except for the two presidential candidates.

Nevertheless, perhaps Sirvatka worries that Californians were beset with a case of mass hypnosis or brainwashing on Election Day. I would like to reassure Sirvatka and others that Boxer is indeed well-qualified to be a U.S. senator. Prior to being elected to the Senate, she had 10 years of service in the U.S. House of Representatives. She has been a strong advocate for environmental protection, including authoring the amendment to the Safe Drinking Water Act to ensure that drinking water standards are set to protect children. She also championed the fight to remove arsenic from drinking water. She has worked tirelessly for HMO reform, pension protection, and in the 9/11 aftermath she authored a law allowing specially trained airline pilots to carry guns in the cockpit. You may or may not agree with any or all of these activities. But whether you agree is beside the point. She is an intelligent, active, articulate U.S. senator.

I strongly disagree with Orrin Hatch on most issues, but I respect his right to serve in the Senate because I respect the right of the people in a given state to freely choose their representatives. I urge Sirvatka and others to embrace the spirit of representative democracy and to support the right of the people to elect their representatives, even if the selection is not always to their personal liking.

Robert Kahn

Ravenwood Drive

City should not sell the
North Campus facility

Cheers to Jack Mallory for leading a drive to save the North Campus. Saratoga is deficient in community facilities and there is precious little property left available for present and future needs. I remember when the city sold the city park property on the corner of Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road and Cox Avenue. Now there is a demand for more park facilities and playing fields.

We cannot continue to sell off city land and have it developed into yet more houses whose future owners will create a demand for more community facilities. The former Congress Springs School was sold and developed with housing, increasing the need for more facilities for children. Redwood School sold some of its land to the post office, which deprived the Village of consumers who would combine shopping with postal services, and deprived the youth of possible sports and recreational facilities at school. Years later, there was a demand for a community gymnasium, and it was claimed that the only land available was the Heritage Orchard. Fortunately, the Heritage Orchard has been saved from development.

Another valuable piece of property that could have been city-owned was the Nelson Orchard, near Saratoga Hills Road. It was donated to the city for park use, was refused by the city and is now developed into housing. It could have been a nature center or a demonstration "little farm" or a farm animal "zoo" with its beautiful natural setting close to Foothill School.

The city has an obligation to its residents for providing facilities for its youth, seniors and community organizations. We need these public places to bring Saratoga citizens together, build community identity and form relationships.

I think the North Campus could be remodeled to generate revenue for the city in providing rental facilities for meetings, conferences, weddings and other parties, concerts, dances, art exhibits, fairs and other performances.

Jackie Welch

Jacks Road

Village is beautiful,
but it needs help

In reading the letter "Village is a beautiful, charming place" (letters, March 23), we had to agree.

We are very lucky to have such a beautiful setting for downtown Saratoga. That's why its buildings deserve more care and upkeep than they get now. Downtown Saratoga is beginning to show signs of economic depression. Some buildings are aging and are neglected, and outside of food and beverage establishments, many businesses do not appear to be thriving.

A revitalization effort for downtown Saratoga (and even parts of Saratoga-Sunnyvale Road) could eventually provide retail tax revenue to retain our city employees, keep schools safe and top notch (which in turn keeps housing values high), improve our very average park system and possibly position local taxes for future reductions instead of increases. It's a shame that in a city where the average home price is well above $1 million (and climbing), we are forced to cut costs to the extent that crossing guards cannot be provided for our children's safety.

Our fire station is one example of a beautifully transformed structure in the Village. Let's continue these efforts by allowing experienced private investors to provide ideas for some retail development. A master planning firm that specializes in revitalizing old towns like Saratoga while preserving the historic buildings could present a step-by-step solution.

There is a famous quote: "Even if you are standing on the right track, you will get run over if you just stand there." Our downtown has stood on the same track for at least the last decade, during which time we have seen our residential neighborhoods grow and improve. It's always easier to keep things just the way they are, but this has resulted in a slow, progressive decline for our Village. If Saratoga city representatives don't promote renovation and growth, potential revenue will continue to be taken away by other towns in our area, while Saratoga, the jewel of the South Bay, will struggle to keep its basic services funded.

Rebecca and Steve Skolnik

Braemar Drive

Resident glad to hear about
effort to save property

Bravo! I am so delighted hear about the efforts to somehow save the city's property on Prospect Avenue. It is difficult to believe that the council would seriously consider selling this valuable site to solve the current budgetary issues. For all the reasons already brought to its attention, this is such a shortsighted solution, and one that will undoubtedly be regretted in the years ahead. There are never simple answers to the many complexities of running a city. It is encouraging, however, that Jack Mallory has taken up this particular cause and that respected Saratogans have joined the effort.

I have experience as the executive director for 17 years of a senior program originally based in Los Gatos (Live Oak Adult Day Services). As wonderful a town as Los Gatos is, mistakes were made there many years ago similar to what Saratoga now faces. Adequate space was never retained and developed to meet the needs of the ever-growing senior population.

The Neighborhood Center was originally planned for senior programs but was eventually used for needed town offices and other programs. Los Gatos remains the only city on the peninsula without a dedicated senior center.

As any Los Gatan over 60 can tell you, all the wonderful programs that serve seniors--both independent and frail--are located all over town and have an ongoing problem with coordination and space.

Saratoga has a unique and valuable opportunity to centralize services, to provide programs at an excellent location for all the generations of seniors to come. It would be a major mistake to let this property go.

Leta Friedlander

Saraview Drive