Saratoga News

Letters & Opinions

Newspaper editorial on political mailers was not balanced

By Ann Waltonsmith

Last week's Saratoga News editorial on the Measure J direct mail pieces was not balanced. While criticizing the political mailers on both sides of the Measure J campaign, the editorial devoted three times the space and detail to condemning the "No on J" campaign. The two mailers are not equally culpable.

The "Yes on J" (those who favor selling the North Campus) mailer was illegal under California law. It had no Fair Political Practices Commission number, and the campaign group had not registered with the city or with the state. All statutory requirements for anyone raising or spending more than $1,000 on a political campaign require that registration. The mailer's return address was in Saratoga, but the address belongs to a friend of the person who really paid for the flier, the Campbell developer who wants to purchase the North Campus.

Obviously, the developer was trying to hide his special interest identity while masquerading as a "citizen group." Council member Nick Streit gave a quote crafted for the "Yes on J" flyer and council member Norman Kline has acknowledged reviewing the flier, yet neither came forward to explain who sent or financed the illegal mailer.

The "No on J" mailer included quotes and pictures of City Manager Dave Anderson and council member Nick Streit. The Anderson quote (Saratoga News, 2002) was the city manager saying, at the time of purchase of the North Campus, that the Saratoga Senior Center and Community Center were overused and difficult to book for activities.

The quote was used to rebut council member Norman Kline, who has continued to claim there has been no space problem at the Senior or Community Center. The city manager's remarks, made before the issue was the subject of an election and by someone uninvolved in the current debate, made it clear Kline is wrong. The Anderson quote, contrary to the Saratoga News editorial assertion, is within context and dated. When the city manager chooses to make factual comments to the newspaper, justifying the council's actions, those published comments are public, and certainly not "off limits."

Similarly, Nick Streit's comments were also dated (2002) and they are accurate and in context. The use of his original quote was not attempting to mislead. It was used to rebut Streit's present position, which is that the North Campus was bought only so that the city could accommodate a new sheriff's office building. As his quote demonstrates, that was not what Streit said publicly in explaining his original vote to purchase the property.

The No on J group's use of these two public, dated and attributed quotes and accompanying photos does not compare with the other side's violation of campaign financing and reporting laws in order to hide the identity of the developer, who is funding a political campaign for his personal gain. Saratogans should expect that the Saratoga newspaper focus on the real issues of illegal FPPC activities and of how the developer's hidden interest for personal gain can potentially hurt the city's chances for preserving the North Campus for needed public use.

Ann Waltonsmith is a member of the Saratoga City Council. She, along with Vice Mayor Aileen Kao, voted to retain the North Campus facility while Streit, Kline and Councilwoman Kathleen King voted to sell the property.