Willow Glen Resident

Letters & Opinions

Speak Out

Large tree-removal fees
could pay for repairs

I observed the infamous lot at Willow and Camino Ricardo on Super Bowl Sunday. The remains of the three sycamores were scattered toward the back half of the lot. A huge cedar tree remains near the front of the lot facing Camino Ricardo. California sycamores are very common along creeks in the valley. Some were planted as street trees in Willow Glen.

The family wishes to build a home on this rather narrow but deep lot (maybe another monster house). The presence of a tree should not prevent a family or a business from building on a lot with trees. Based on the previous location of the three sycamores, it would be difficult to build on this particular lot.

The city of San Jose should make allowances for families to build on smaller lots. San Jose and the county would benefit in property taxes, and building on this lot would improve the look and value of this neighborhood.

The city should establish a policy of fees to allow for tree removal in cases such as this. The fee should be high but not excessive to allow for a home be built. Business development tree removal policies would be similar but not as difficult because it would probably be easier to build around established trees.

The funds collected could be used to plant additional trees in the city or perhaps repair the curbs, gutters and sidewalks that have raised or cracked from planting inappropriate trees. The results of city-authorized but inappropriate curb trees are easy to find anywhere in San Jose and Willow Glen.

Stringent city tree-removal ordinances will result in devious methods to kill trees that prevent families and businesses from building on their property. Property owners will find a way around the city ordinances, such as a girdle of the cambium layer of tree bark which will kill the tree. Then the dead tree will have to be eventually removed for safety.

Let's be positive and charge excessive fees for permits to remove large trees to allow for development. Most of all, let busybodies find some other issues that affects their lives rather than allow them to stick their noses in other people's business.

Eugene A. Gimelli

La Mirada Drive

Tedesco campaign is
factual, not negative

It was with some surprise that I read the paper's story on Steve Tedesco and Pierluigi Oliverio's Jan. 29 neighborhood forum at Cory Elementary School ("District 6 race for councilman takes a turn and goes from friendly to testy").

I admit that I am a supporter of Tedesco. I have known him for a good number of years. Although this is Oliverio's third campaign for public office, I had not had the opportunity to meet him personally before this campaign.

The rumor I have heard from a number of Oliverio's campaign supporters is that Tedesco was "going negative." When asked for specifics as to what was negative, no one could or would elaborate other than that Tedesco keeps describing his community and professional activities.

Tedesco has described how he has been employed as the executive director of the local Boys and Girls Club and saved that organization from bankruptcy; he served with the San Jose-Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce and became the executive director of that organization; he served on Santa Clara County's Human Relations Commission; he is a member of the San Jose Airport Commission and served as its chair; he was the co-founder of Christmas in the Park; he was also the co-founder of Joint Venture Silicon Valley and Community Leadership San Jose, along with numerous other activities.

To compare the many community service activities of Tedesco with the few actually described by Oliverio is not "going negative." All political campaigns compare and contrast candidates; that is what Tedesco is doing, listing his activities against those activities that Oliverio has prominently listed in his materials.

Nothing was added or deleted from Oliverio's own statements. Comparing and contrasting is not "going negative."

Phil Sims

De Anza Way

Steve Tedesco has the
necessary experience

I would like to respond to the coverage of the Jan. 29 meeting of the District 6 runoff candidates ("District 6 race for councilman takes a turn and goes from friendly to testy").

Steve Tedesco's calling Pierluigi Oliverio a "slightly misleading candidate" was putting it very gently and certainly not being negative, as it is true. Oliverio has been deceptive, i.e., his mailing featuring him with what I certainly took to be his "family," which was most certainly intended no matter how he explains it away.

His list of experience and accomplishments shows only that he is a good and charismatic salesman, nothing more.

Now he is trying to woo the seniors in District 6 with his mailing about how well he takes care of his parents, which he states shows his commitment to seniors and their issues. How naive does he think the constituents of District 6 are?

We need a person with experience, accountability, honesty and integrity to fill this seat, and I can assure you that Steve Tedesco more than fills the bill.

Ruth Wiens

Willow Glen