The Sun
Sunnyvale's Newspaper

Letters

Szymanski is NOT for high-density housing

In your latest article regarding the candidates forum, I was unfortunately misquoted regarding my views on high- density housing. Your article implies that I support higher density housing in our city. Nothing could be farther from the truth. As a planning commissioner I have consistently opposed new high-density developments and will continue to do so as a member of the City Council. My record is clear on this issue. High density simply means more congestion, more demands on city services and a deteriorating quality of life for all citizens. My votes have always reflected my strong belief that our city can grow and prosper without sacrificing its unique suburban character.

If you review the transcripts of the candidates forum, I am sure that you will come to the same conclusion.

Michael Szymanksi
Candidate for Seat No. 2

Train wrecks no joke, but your headlines are

I take exception to the front-page headline in your Sept. 24 issue--"Neighbors, Caltrans in head-on." In trying to be very cute with the headline, you sounded totally irresponsible and morbid. Train accidents are not funny, and any flippant reference to one is really gruesome.

Try being serious when it's called for, instead of writing like everything else in your paper is a joke--as most of your headlines do.

Marie Colwell
Sunnyvale

Why no photo-op for the tree-killing?

It was a sad day for Tasman Avenue today. The county Transit Authority started cutting down the beautiful trees for the LRT project. Funny thing, though, I didn't see any LRT pushers or concrete-jungle lovers out taking credit for this destruction. I am sure they will be there for the photo opportunity to cut the ribbon--why shouldn't they be there to take credit for killing the trees that provide us with shade, clean air and beauty?

Sandra Skolnik
Sunnyvale

Is Moffett up for grabs, like Lincoln bedroom?

Last Friday late in the afternoon while picking a few apples in our back yard we could hear the ever-increasing whine of a large jet aircraft approaching Moffett. Having lived on or near airbases for much of our lives, we have grown very accustomed to the sound of aircraft on approach and takeoff. And I dare say, we have become very adept at recognizing aircraft by the sound of their engines. On this occasion we thought it must be an Air Force C5B approaching, but as it got closer we had to look up and see just what it was. All bets were off. It had a much louder roar and less of a whine than the Lockheed product. Hardly a low polluter. Lo and behold, it was a surprise, with Cyrillic lettering and strange markings with a red, white and blue used-car-lot type flag painted on the tail fin. We could see it was Russian. Indeed, it proved to be a former Soviet Air Force copy of our own C5 known as the Antonov 124, now converted to commercial air freight duty.

As it passed overhead I came to understand what Richard Garlow meant in his earlier letter to The Sun editor in which he described "something very noisy passing over my house and the whole house shakes with the noise." Well, Mr. Garlow, whether or not you realized it, you were among the first and the few to have noticed the advent of commercial air cargo at Moffett. Considering the fact that it was probably the first Russian plane to land here, it should have been met with a little notice, if not by the media, at least by our civic leaders. After all, they made a big deal when Aeroflot came to SFO.

I guess the debate about commercial-air landing rights at Moffett is over. It is a fait accompli. Federal agencies and bureaucrats, the very people who our City Council and many others strongly feel should continue to occupy and operate Moffett, have made a bargain. A deal has been made with our new friend and welfare recipient the Russian government. They are now operating a commercial air cargo operation in and out of Moffett with landing rights that are not only free of landing fees, but free of immigration and customs inspectors, and that allow their aircraft to continue on to other U.S. airports to pick up and deliver cargo. For those locals who favor waiting for the current administration and our representatives to continue this giveaway of our national treasure, there is a question. What would you rather see at Moffett--a U.S. air freight operation, such as Federal Express, UPS, or Sky Courier, or the Russian Dneper Volga Heavy Lift operation? Of course, the way things are now operated under "executive order," the question may be moot.

All over the country there are examples of former military bases that have closed, and through entrepreneurial, visionary and aggressive action by local business and the citizenry, these seaports, airports and camps have been turned into jewels of industry. Many of them are now providing hundreds and thousands more local jobs than they ever did while operated as military or federal establishments. The present local generation of young workers and next generations deserve to have Sunnyvale remain a place where industry and work is ever more plentiful without having to drive for hours just to make a living. If one needs an example of what happens to federal agencies that are up for grabs, a look at what's happening to the USGS at Menlo Park should suffice. Bye-bye and off they go to a congressperson's territory that has more clout than San Mateo's representatives. Moffett is not immune from the same treatment; the Russian air cargo flights are just openers. Are we going to stand by while politicians in Washington bid off Moffett as if it were an extension to a night in the Lincoln Bedroom?

While serving overseas at our military bases, I grew accustomed to seeing the U.S. flag and the host nation's flag flying side by side on their territory. These countries gave up much of their sovereignty over these lands to us either by terms of surrender or as a matter of an alliance and self-defense. I wonder whose flag will be flying side by side with ours at Moffett? What will be the terms of occupation? I certainly hope the citizens of Santa Clara County will have a say in the matter.

Armand Petri
Sunnyvale

Bonds are a bad way to pay for a new roof

I feel compelled to respond to the article in the Oct. 8 issue of The Sun entitled "FUHSD gauges support for April bond measure." The information presented in this article frustrates me on many counts.

I received, completed and returned one of the questionnaires the article refers to which asks how to prioritize the financial issues the district faces. This card was a simple questionnaire, and provided no indication of where the money would come from regarding the listed projects. I felt that the district was asking for my opinion for priority spending of its minimal assets, not looking for support of a bond measure. If this card is used to gauge bond support, then I must say it is very misleading and my response will be incorrectly interpreted. I do NOT support bond measures for this purpose.

Why must the bond measure election be held in April, if it is held at all? Surely the roofs didn't start leaking, the plumbing failing and all the computer resources getting backdated only last month. While I'm not sure whether the city or the district pays for these special elections, it just doesn't make good fiscal sense to me. If it must be voted on, then let them be voted on at a general election, such as November. If November 1998 is too late for these repairs to begin, then shame on the district board for missing the boat on this year's election coming up in only two to three weeks.

Please don't misunderstand me as being down on education. I just don't believe that bonds, the most expensive way to raise money, are the right way to support the schools. If we approve a 30-year bond measure to fix a roof that will decay again in 15 to 20 years, we will need to approve another bond measure 20 years from now to repair the same roof, and we'll be paying for two sets of bonds for two roofs at once.

We need to break this bond-cycle now. I will consider voting for these bonds to fix the problems today, if I can see a serious, realistic plan by the district to begin saving and budgeting so that these are the last bond measures we'll ever have to vote on.

Ken Gudan
Sunnyvale

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This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, October 15, 1997.
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