The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper

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If lobbyists are expensive, what about lawsuits?

I read with great interest your Jan. 14 article "Councilmember questions the effectiveness of lobbyists."

What I find intriguing about this is that Councilmember Kawczynski opposes the city paying $240,000 a year to a lobbying firm to represent the interests of the city on Moffett Field, yet he has no qualms whatsoever about spending taxpayers' money to fight the Mercury News' lawsuit to the tune of roughly $400,000 to date. The lawsuit, filed Nov. 30, 1995, alleges violations of California's open meetings law and Public Records Act. If you would like to see for yourself what I'm talking about, just contact the city's Finance Department and request copies of all legal billings and checks paid on this matter.

For all of you who are interested, this case is now at issue and will go to trial March 23, 1998, at 9 a.m. in superior court.

Frances Rowe
Sunnyvale

City Council matches lobbyists in its ineffectiveness

In regards to an article that ran in The Sun on Jan. 14 about the effectiveness of a lobbyist firm representing the city of Sunnyvale in Washington:

Talk about "ineffective"; what about the whole City Council? They have to be the only group of politicians that don't understand how things are done in Washington. If anybody is "ineffective" in getting our voice heard in Washington, it is both the City Council and our representatives in Congress. Maybe we need to de-fund them too. Certainly we aren't getting our money's worth.

As demonstrated, you don't get things done through flake lawyers and lobbyists. To get heard the council should have gone through people like Charlie Trie or John Haung. It seems to me by putting $240,000 in the White House "turnstile," our council could have sat down with the president and told him what we want over a cup of coffee. Stan Kawczynski could have even stayed in the Lincoln Bedroom.

How does one think Long Beach Naval Shipyard got to be a Red Chinese company's shipping terminal? Let's get with the program before China Airline or Aeroflot become the host occupants of Moffett Field. (I wonder if the White House turnstile has been upgraded to take large bills; what a pain it must be to have to get change in that place.)

The council's idea that they need to hire lobbyists demonstrates their perception about how effective Anna Eshoo, Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer have been in representing our views. This is progress.

Armand Petri
Sunnyvale

Blue Angels sound more appealing than congested freeways

After living in Sunnyvale for 24 years, I find it very interesting that there have been numerous complaints about the aircraft noise over Sunnyvale when the weather system results in a southerly flow. I wonder if the people who are complaining are also against the use of Moffett for cargo or private use?

I also wonder if these folks pay any attention to the heavy increase of traffic and pollutants through Sunnyvale due to the land-grabs by the developers? I predict that the developers are salivating profusely awaiting the turnover of Moffett to development.

I seriously doubt that thousands of new condos will improve our quality of life here. Sorry, people, but I'll take the P-3s and Blue Angels any day over thousands of new commuters on 101 and 85!

Ron Nowicki
Sunnyvale

General Aviation will be just as loud as air cargo uses at Moffett

Recently I've read varying opinions about what should be done with Moffett Field. One stated that air cargo "is desirable" at Moffett and would help fund its development as a community asset. Another said that Palo Alto Airport is a "ghost town" after 10 p.m., because only a few general aviation (GA) operations are done there at night.

If it's desirable to develop Moffett as a community asset, there are other ways to do that besides increasing air traffic, including expanding NASA's research facilities, building the proposed air and space center and providing access to the bay wetlands.

The idea that GA would be quiet and not intrude on Moffett's neighboring cities is misguided. Consider the following. Palo Alto Airport is a "ghost town" at night because its runway is 2,500 feet long. That's only long enough for a few small jet aircraft like the Cessna Citation, and not the longer-range aircraft that are likely to land during the late night and early morning hours.

According to the Palo Alto Airport Operations Office, the runway's length is too short for most jet operations.

On the South Peninsula and in the South Bay Area most corporate and private jet aircraft operations are done in and out of San Jose airport. San Jose airport officials would like to shift GA operations out of San Jose to Moffett, so they can expand other flight operations at San Jose even further.

If GA got access to Moffett, then private jet aircraft would also have access to those runways. Because of their longer ranges, corporate jets could be expected to have much later and earlier arrival/ departure times. There is no curfew at Moffett and federal law doesn't permit local governments to impose one. San Jose's oft-broken curfew was grandfathered in when federal law changed in the early 1990s. So, if you think we can control hours of operation or types of aircraft permitted at Moffett, think again.

These private jets would be the wedge to open up Moffett for larger jet aircraft, and to establish regular jet operations there. They also could be used to increase the thresholds for ambient noise, as well as to what hours of the day we have to put up with that noise.

Since five of Moffett's neighboring city councils have already voted that commercial air operations are unacceptable at Moffett, they should also find general aviation unacceptable as well.

Dave King
Sunnyvale

Quote the Bible-- it's a bestseller

Even though I missed reading Ms. McCleary's article in the Dec. 24 issue of The Sun, it was indeed a miracle that I did read the sadly opinionated reply. It's a shame that you would want to remove biblical references and passages from an article printed for a Christmas Eve distribution. Where was your spirit? (Certainly not at church.)

'Twas the night before Christmas
When all through the town
Christ's spirit was celebrating.
His love should abound.

Don't hesitate to reference the Bible; it is, after all, the No. 1 bestseller.

Sandra Kaye
Sunnyvale

Perhaps shopkeeper was simply polite

In response to the commentary by Ann Lencioni in the Dec. 24 issue of the The Sun: Since our shop does not have a mini forest of pine, holly and thousands of white lights, I am safe to assume you were somewhere else when you perceived the slight of people looking down their nose at you and your companion.

What rings close to home, though, is that in today's retailing we no longer ask "May I help you?" as we prefer the client to feel free to browse without our interference. We do, however, make eye contact and greet customers to make sure they are aware we know we are here to help if needed.

We also take merchandise from their hands and put it on the counter for them not so they won't steal it, but so they have their hands free to pick up more.

Being of a Latin background myself, I feel sure your friend was not the least bit insulted, as she is used to the hands-on approach taken in Latin countries, where the salesperson never leaves the side of a client.

Justo Arzie
Los Gatos Porch

Corrections

In the Jan. 14 public safety section, an item about a petty theft that occurred at JCPenney on Jan. 8 was incorrectly described. JCPenney does not have closed-circuit televisions inside any fitting rooms, and the man was arrested for stealing a pair of sweat pants.

In a separate story on the city of Cupertino's decision on whether to support air cargo at Moffett Field, it should have been stated that the Mountain View City Council also voted against this use.

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This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, January 28, 1998.
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