After reading staff writer Monica Heger's article about the Grand Prix ("San Jose Grand Prix will provide city with big profits, report says," Feb.1) I'd like to know just how much of these hundreds of millions of dollars is San Jose supposed to receive in the form of tax revenue. And will that revenue result in the reduction in our local taxes?

If not, then is this event only a benefit to the businesses that are involved and not the general public?

Alma Taylor

Willow Glen

Basic skills lacking two generations later

Joseph DiSalvo's education column ("Disproportionate funding is at the heart of the achievement gap," Jan. 18) suggests going back to all the old failed fantasies: mandatory preschool (even for privileged children for whom preschool is a step down); more discriminatory affirmative action; higher salaries for teachers regardless of merit; professional development through the ingrown and self-serving education lobby; more research money (to find out what?); restore pre-Proposition 13 levels of spending (will I lose my home to taxes as my grandmother did?)--increase, increase, increase. Not a word about how we can weed out the drones and incompetents.

Until the consumers (the parents) have direct control over their children's education and the money that pays for it, the teachers union will continue to serve itself.

DiSalvo's photo makes him old enough, I think, to remember the War on Poverty and The Great Society of President Johnson. Estimates vary, but most fair observers agree that we could have supported all the poor for 50 years on the trillions of dollars that were poured into federal coffers and out into bureaucracy and waste.

The same could be said for California education. We have generously supported education as we were told to, only to reap two generations of youth without basic skills. Money helps, but only when the consumers have direct control.

Beth Erickson

Sunnyvale

What about all those
hair and nail salons?

I'm so happy other people want to see shopping diversity in Willow Glen. The letter writers talked about the numerous coffee shops and wine stores. My beef is with the number of hair, nail and spas shops being allowed in the area.

Los Altos and Los Gatos have already had enough.

There must be at least 15 to 20 of these businesses just off Lincoln Avenue. The ones already here can't make a living, yet our business taxes keep going up and up.

Is the Willow Glen Business and Professional Association unable to do anything about this, or is it that they won't?

Vera Jones

Willow Glen

Delay rebuttal captures the education problem

Kudos to Don Delay's rebuttal ('The answer to education is simple: back to basics," Feb.1) to Joseph DiSalvo's article ("Disproportionate funding is at the heart of the achievement gap," Jan. 18). Don captured the essence of the decline in education so aptly.

DiSalvo is either unaware that he is part of the problem, not the solution, or he is too entrenched in the educational system to recognize the facts. I applaud the classroom teachers, however, not the educational bureaucrats.

Who will pay the high price for the foolishness? Unfortunately, it's not DiSalvo. It will be our most precious commodity, our children.

Mary Goodman

Malone Road

Stores in mall should
draw in the customers

When word got around that Starbucks is one of the prospective new tenants at the Garden Theatre Mall, ("Prospective downtown stores aren't diverse," Jan. 25) I stopped by to check it out. I see by the architect's drawing that a coffeehouse named Starlight is listed as a possible new business.

Shelly McNamara was unhappy about having another coffeehouse on Lincoln Avenue across the street from Peets. She asked residents what type of businesses we would like in the new mall.

Although there are a number of coffeehouses on Lincoln, the Garden Mall needs something there to draw people in. The sushi restaurant is very nice and adds a touch of class but not everyone likes that type of food. If the new mall is going to be a success, there should be a gathering place for people within the mall. A coffee and tea shop would serve that purpose.

While I was walking through, I saw Bella James, women's boutique, that plans to open in March. I am hoping that it will be an affordable store for middle-income women. I would like to be able to shop for clothes again on Lincoln Avenue.

I don't know how many spaces will be available for new tenants, but I would love to have a small bookstore. I rarely hear people complain that there are too many bookstores in a shopping district. Again, that type of business would encourage people to come into the mall.

I believe it is a good idea to let the new owners of the Garden Mall know what we want.

Linda Julian

Willow Glen

Corrections

In the captions for the story 'Touch of Taiwan,' Feb. 1 the family's last name should have been spelled Niu.

The business story 'New boutique owners want to bring L.A. style to Willow Glen,' Feb.1 should have read that Sugar Magnolia features low- to high-end designer clothes. Tops are priced at $15 and up, and denim is priced at $98 and up.