The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper

Letters

Build a quality mall

I have some advice for the new general manager of that horrible mall. Seeing that he's from the military, I'll put it in words he will probably understand: Drop a bomb on that ugly structure and the equally hideous-looking parking garage and build us citizens of Sunnyvale a real town center, and I will go there to do my shopping.

From the day that mall opened its doors for business, I have conducted my private one-woman protest and have never shopped there. Furthermore, no amount of marketing, advertising or promotions will lure me there. Get rid of the eyesore!

L. Long
Sunnyvale

Leave Miller alone

Mike Szymanski asks "Why won't Miller keep her campaign promises?" in the Aug. 8 issue of The Sun. I ask: When will Mike write a factual letter that doesn't require someone to write in the next week correcting his statements?

First, the vote Mike referred to was taken last Saturday, not last Friday. Second, the vote was not on binding arbitration. That issue will be on the ballot in November and is for binding interest arbitration. Councilmember Miller supports binding grievance arbitration. The vote taken on Saturday was whether or not to place a companion initiative on the ballot which will let the citizens of Sunnyvale choose their preference.

Third, the Olson property is a "medium" density project--not high density as the letter-writer stated.

As to the other issues, I won't even dignify them with a response. I immediately got "turned off" with the way you prefaced your false allegations. I'm hearing too many misplaced personal innuendos from our federal officials; I (and I'm sure the majority of Sunnyvale residents) do not want to see our exemplary Sunnyvale City Council dragged down to that level.

Please don't continue to sully Councilmember Miller's reputation--she is proving herself to be a knowledgeable and fair representative for us and doesn't deserve such insults.

Gay Katilius
Sunnyvale

There's a difference between 'donations' and 'raffles'

For the information of your readers, I volunteer with a nonprofit, and we have had "donation drawings" for the past 10 years to raise funds, which I believe are a perfectly legal way for a nonprofit to raise funds; and which we will probably do for the next 10 years unless federal and state laws dictate otherwise.

The key word is "donation" as opposed to "raffle." What this means is that the tickets must say "suggested donation" which means literally that the tickets must be given and not sold if someone requested it, although most people supporting the nonprofit will make the donation. I would suggest organizations wanting to raise funds this way check with the federal and state offices of taxes/revenue to get the scoop, not the obviously self-important and incompetent Santa Clara County DA's office.

If the Santa Clara DA did not make this information available, then they either don't know what they are doing or, as Joe Guerra suggested, "the DA's office is overstaffed" and is picking at little things to justify its own existence.

Sandra Skolnik
Sunnyvale

Wild parrots are attention-grabbers

The cover of your Aug. 12 paper really caught my attention--enough to check it before the evening TV news! The parrots have always fascinated me, too. A former neighbor/friend of mine is the one who pointed them out to me one day about seven years ago. I'm planning to send this article to her in Oregon for her amusement.

They have landed in our tall evergreen (we're in the Cherry Chase area) on a couple of occasions, allowing us to get a fleeting close-up of them. Mr. Bittner's right about the surrealism of it all.

Good article.

Cindy Swan
Sunnyvale

Human life is not a liability to the planet

I am intrigued that people are discussing population growth with the view that overpopulation is a real and present danger.

Their presumption is that a human life is a net liability to society and the planet. If any individuals claim to truly believe this, then I challenge them to prove their belief. Let them do society and the planet a favor by taking their own lives. Their actions will tell us where they stand on this issue.

The presumption is wrong, and so, therefore, is the conclusion that the human population is a "problem."

Andrew Lowd
Cupertino

Nice article on HOPE

Thanks so much for the terrific article you wrote about HOPE Rehabilitation Services in the July 29 issue of the Sun. We are extremely pleased that the fitness class for people with developmental disabilities has become so popular. Your article was very well-written and we are pleased to see that you told about the many successes we've had with this class.

Thank you for your time in showing The Sun's readers how successful people with disabilities can be when given the supports they need.

Elayne Roberts
Community Relations Director
HOPE Rehabilitation Services

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Sunnyvale's Newspaper