Kusters makes a very good point in that the charm and character of Willow Glen can be maintained, and the need for more space accommodated, with the addition or expansion of a basement.

But government officials are demanding that homeowners fill in and destroy their basements when remodeling extensively in a vast swath of eastern Willow Glen, all the way from Foxworthy to Freeway 280, because of flood zone regulations.

In this so-called "flood zone," a homeowner is denied the ability to even build a basement. This neighborhood contains some of the very oldest and most valuable examples of our precious historical character. This is what makes Willow Glen Willow Glen and not Fremont (with no offense to those who love their town of Fremont).

Needless and unproductive "regulations" are causing the loss of our architectural character in this most historic area of Willow Glen. Instead of remodeling and expanding their two-bedroom-with-basement houses, homeowners are knocking them down and replacing them with some of the examples that S. Kusters notes.

Basements are an environmentally friendly addition to a house—the earth is the very best form of "insulator"—and allow more storage. Building "up" with two- or three-story houses not only compromises the look of a historic neighborhood, it causes a loss of privacy.

Flood insurance in San Jose, which has a near-desert climate and only 14 inches of rainfall per year, should be voluntary, not mandatory, as it is now. The outdated flood zone maps for this area need to be revised immediately, before we lose more of the precious charm and character known as Willow Glen. Contact our new Congresswoman, Zoe Lofgren. She can take the lead for us and help to preserve our children's heritage in our beloved and unique Willow Glen.

After all, earthquake insurance is voluntary. Why not flood insurance? We all know which natural danger is more likely to occur in San Jose.

—Gary Jansen, Spencer Avenue


Measure F meaning must be same for all

In response to I-chun Che's Sept. 25 article regarding Measure F—the San Jose Unified School District's (SJUSD) $429 million bond measure that passed under Proposition 39 requirements—I would like to make the following observations.

I have personally attended all the Citizen Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC) meetings held the past three months and I find statements made by the district to the Willow Glen Resident reporter to be inconsistent with the requirements of Propostion 39.

In simple terms, Proposition 39 requires the following.

1. The SJUSD Board of Education must evaluate safety, class size reduction and information technology needs in developing a list of specific projects to be presented to the voters.

2. Before they vote, voters will be given a list of specific projects, school by school, that the bond money will be used for.

3. Proceeds from the bond are to be used for specific school facilities' projects only.

4. Accountability is required so that the bond funds are spent prudently and only as directed by citizens of the community.

Measure F was passed on March 5, 2002. The first project list published by the district (in April 2002) revealed that to do the tasks proposed in the ballot measure would require $525 million ($80 million over budget before the start of the first project). A detailed project list should have been written when the ballot measure was submitted to the voters.

The district has stated that most projects are still unspecified because it takes time to conduct a detailed assessment. However, Proposition 39 required the specific projects with a cost estimate prior to the vote on March 5, 2002. The district's latest timetable to have the scope defined with a realistic cost estimate is March 2003 and the implementation plan by June 2003.

From my observations, one of the major problems the committee has had is the district's wording in the ballot measure: "repair/upgrade or construction of facilities for specialized instructional programs." It is the district's contention that this phrase allows the district to do just about anything, such as spend $2 million in start-up costs for a 500-seat, $10 million theater at Lincoln High School because Lincoln is a performing arts magnet. In a phone survery taken prior to the ballot measure, 64 percent of those questioned rejected spending Measure F funds on a theater.

The district stated that the tension between the district and the committee stems from the committee's desire to interpret what the ballot language means. What the district now realizes is that the school board, the committee and the public all have a different understanding of what "specialized instructional programs" means.

In conclusion, I strongly recommend that school staff, parent groups and community members obtain a copy of the ballot measure to ensure that at each school site the district meets its obligations to the voting community.

—Tom Myers, Kiner Avenue