Thank you for including Friends of Sunnyvale in your year-end review.

I would like to correct the information printed because there were a couple of errors.

First, the Friends of Sunnyvale collected many more signatures than the total printed in the Sun. We had three initiatives that would have been placed on the ballot. Our initiatives—to curb eminent domain, limit building heights in the downtown, and make all redevelopment plans approved by the voters—all got over 6,500 signatures each.

Second, we were told by the city clerk that we needed to get signatures for 10 percent of the registered voters and we did. After our signatures were submitted the city said they made a mistake and we needed 15 percent of the voters. A judge ruled that the city made an honest mistake. One year of hard work and the voices of the citizens were thrown out with the crack of a gavel.

We do not feel we failed. We can see our efforts had positive impacts that extended beyond the mechanical process of getting signatures. We awakened community spirit in many residents who wouldn't otherwise have become interested in their downtown.

Also, FOS was a catalyst for community outreach which can extend to future issues as well.

Paul Jay Reed

President of Friends of Sunnyvale

Fisk doesn't make clear what half-truths are

Steven Fisk, president of the Public Safety Officers' Association, in his Dec. 7 letter to the Sun, accuses letter writers of "defaming" his organization "repeatedly." (I believe each letter writer got only one turn.)

Fisk wrote that it is the letter writers who have embarked on a campaign of "half-truths and inaccuracies misinforming readers." Has he forgotten the false and misleading partisan-luring campaign fliers his association paid for and spread throughout the city?

I am not acquainted with anyone on the political scene nor in the police. The Sun is my local source. I can only quess that new council member Melinda Hamilton is as attractive in her person as she has always been and is not entirely devoid of good ideas.

Nevertheless, despite obsessive targeting by the PSOA, Tim Risch garnered a substantial amount of votes. Perhaps he shall return.

Steven Fisk should write a letter to the Sun specifying the "half-truths and inaccuracies" of his PSOA critics. Failing that, I would suggest that Steven is talking through his hat.

Robert Thoen

Sunnyvale

PSOA backed six of the seven council members

In the Jan. 7 issue, the Sun wrote that Mayor Howe thinks PSOA's influence on the city council is minimal. To those who know, it was obvious that PSOA wanted to get rid of former Councilman Tim Risch and City Manager Bob LaSala. PSOA spent thousands of dollars on the last city council race, sending out numerous mailers in support of their candidates and against Risch (some of these mailers were obviously misleading) with the main purpose of influencing the city council. And what happened? Risch is gone, and LaSala is on his way out.

Let's remember that PSOA has backed the campaigns of six out of seven city council members. The influence of PSOA is significant. Let's tell the truth.

Tim Persyn

Sunnyvale

Partisan politics doesn't
belong in city council

If the nation took a look at the political circus in Sunnyvale, the Davis recall, the recent Schwarzenegger election would have seemed like a sideshow to the main event. I didn't realize that we the people of Sunnyvale had elected candidates with the maturity level of junior high students to run our city.

Shouldn't the qualifications of those elected include the ability to keep quiet the decisions of the council, without leaking information to their friends and family? Is anyone surprised with the constant upheaval among the council? Hardly, they have been in pandemonium for quite some time now.

The "adults" who are the council seem to forget that they were elected to do a job, and do it in a professional manner. Not to mention that a new wrench has been thrown into the system, the inability to keep partisanship out of local policy.

Who'd have thought "party" politics would interfere with the choices and decisions made for a city like Sunnyvale? All shouldn't be blamed for the childish actions of a few, namely former Mayor and Council Member Fred Fowler, who was happy to send out a letter declaring that the council is "Now a Republican Free Zone." If it were up to me, perhaps we could rezone Sunnyvale and then he'd be out of commission.

Katy Malatesta

Sunnyvale

Message means points of view not represented

I was greatly disillusioned upon receiving Fred Fowler's November message, announcing that the Sunnyvale City Council is now a "Republican Free Zone." I am a registered Republican. I take pride in voting for candidates based on their platform and experience rather than party line, especially at the municipal level. My reaction to Councilman Fowler's letter was to bristle and conclude that in the future I must vote Republican in order to preserve the existence of various points of view.

Although the letter was addressed to me specifically, my husband, a registered Democrat, read the letter and also was offended. As a leader in our community, we feel Fowler used poor judgment in his message, which creates dissension in a city where we have experienced teamwork and support from all city staff.

We love Sunnyvale and are disappointed in the partisan atmosphere he is creating.

Nancy Carlson

Sunnyvale

Resident wants to know about city government

Despite all the naysayers, I think you and your paper are doing a fine job! I have lived in Sunnyvale all my life (47 years) and I want to know what my city government is doing. I watch the council meetings and read your paper to keep up on city matters. I only wish your paper was published daily.

Keep up the good work and keep asking "those" hard questions!

Tim Suth

Sunnyvale