For months now we have read criticism by a number of readers for every move that the Saratoga City Council makes. It started prior to the vote on the utility users tax with criticism by the Saratoga News about the purchase of the North Campus several years ago and their disbelief that the city council would even consider not selling this property, as if this would even begin to solve Saratoga's budget woes.

But since the November election, we have heard nothing but condemnation of the council for voting to sell the property. While I personally support keeping the North Campus, I wonder where these critics were when their support was needed to pass the utility users tax ballot measure or, better yet, their help in developing a preferred alternative to get the city back on track.

Criticism in the Saratoga News runs rampant, but I have yet to hear anyone with any better ideas of how to improve our city and deal with the budget challenges we now face. Is the budget problem and the deterioration of our roads the fault of this city council and should they be blamed? Absolutely not! The problem has been growing for many years and this council is now forced to shoulder the burden.

The budget shortfall is actually a more systemic problem due largely to the minimal sales tax base in Saratoga and the diminishing local tax dollars that trickle down from the state. No two citizens of Saratoga will agree on all decisions by this or any other city council, but I am personally exhausted by critics who endlessly complain but have offered no constructive alternatives. If these same critics took the same time and energy to work toward improving our community instead of dumping on its most ardent volunteers (i.e., city council) the city might not be in its current predicament.

Doug Robertson

De Havilland Drive

Put seniors, soccer
together on campus

In reading all the letters and articles concerning the ever-relentless quest for soccer fields, the frustrated residents near Kevin Moran park and the seniors who feel jilted by the North Campus scenario, I would like to offer a solution.

The city is determined to build soccer fields. So, with that in mind, why not build the soccer fields at the North Campus along with the new buildings for seniors? This would give the city income from the soccer groups, it would give the seniors their new facilities and there would be virtually no traffic impact to city streets. Kevin Moran Park can continue to be a community park for all residents and the Heritage Orchard can be left alone to grow.

Now the North Campus is serving multiple groups within the city and pulling in some income. I do not know how much land is there, but I am sure there could be some type of creative thinking to make it work. I ask the city council to think outside the box on this one and maybe it could work.

John Bellicitti

Marshall Lane

North Campus deadline
should be extended

It is my understanding that the city council set October as the date for selling the North Campus--that is, making it officially available for developers to purchase. I encourage the powers that be to extend that date/deadline by a few months.

Based on all available information, there appears to be great interest in Saratoga citizens purchasing the property, with Jack Mallory leading the effort. Given sufficient time, Saratogans may well be able to raise the necessary funds to purchase and ultimately upgrade the North Campus. However, October is not far away and raising $6.5 million dollars in three-plus months is daunting.

Since it's unlikely that there is genuine urgency in putting the North Campus on the market by October, why can't the deadline for fundraising be moved to Dec. 31, 2005? Indeed, if most of the money has been raised by that time, why not extend the deadline a bit further, into 2006? Perhaps until March?

The North Campus sale has the potential to become a win-win situation for Saratoga. The city obtains needed funds and the citizenry obtain a desperately needed facility.

Marcia Fariss

Saratoga Glen Place

City must look to its
long-term objectives

As a resident of our beautiful Saratoga for over 30 years, I feel I must comment on the North Campus issue. I believe the decision to originally purchase the property is not the issue here. The issue is whether selling the property at this time or any time in the future is wise or farsighted.

The one thing we hopefully don't require of our city government is to be real estate investors. This is not their charter and should not be for many reasons. That means both buying and selling. Before the council decides, for short-term reasons, to sell such property, it should first explain in detail why such action meets the long-term (10-25 years) objectives of the community. In addition it should explain in detail where the proceeds will be used and determine how each planned expenditure meets the plan.

Short-term thinking leads to short-term results and I am not aware of a crisis of such magnitude that we have to "sell our future." I hope the council, the city planners and residents can have the time in the next year to really see if this proposed sale meets the city of Saratoga's future.

Bob Goedjen

Saratoga

The co-chairman of the Realtor Service Volunteer Program offered by the Silicon Valley Association of Realtors was incorrectly identified in a story in the May 25 Valley Home Pages. Matthew Swenson of Alain Pinel Realtors is the co-chairman of the program.