"HI Bill,
I wanted to tell you about my experience with the people standing in front of CVS on Homestead in the Mariposa center. I was approached like anyone else coming in or out of the store about this initative.
He asked if I wanted to sign it so that we could have it on the ballot and vote on it in June. I asked him if he was for or against building the stadium. He told me he was for it.
Not knowing too much about this process or protocal and all the long tedious steps that it takes to move forward on something so huge, I immediately felt suspicious. I asked him why he was in such a hurry to get it on the ballot. I told him it feels like you're trying to jam it on the ballot before everything has been discussed & debated with the city council and how can you put it on the ballot before all the issues are hashed out.
He told me "On the contrary, that by putting this initative on the ballot it would force everyone to put everything out on the table. That everything would have to be disclosed so that the people could have an up or down vote on the stadium once and for all."
Not knowing too much about this process or protocal and all the long tedious steps that it takes to move forward on something so huge, I immediately felt suspicious. I asked him why he was in such a hurry to get it on the ballot. I told him it feels like you're trying to jam it on the ballot before everything has been discussed & debated with the city council and how can you put it on the ballot before all the issues are hashed out.
He told me "On the contrary, that by putting this initative on the ballot it would force everyone to put everything out on the table. That everything would have to be disclosed so that the people could have an up or down vote on the stadium once and for all."
I was at SaveMart with my mother today and they were out there yelling at people passing by to come sign the petition. These two particular guys seemed to be more aggressive and even more vague about what the initative was about. As we were leaving the store they tried their approach with my mother & I and they got any earful back. Instantly they started playing stupid when we starting telling them we understood exactly what their initative was all about. We proceeded to educate others as they approached the store or leaving that this initative was very misleading and urged them NOT to sign. A few people walked on without signing it :)
I hope you find my experience helpful and useful.
Warm regards,
(...A Santa Claran...)[Emphasis mine.]
Another "49ers-Own-Initiative" signature guy just got caught playing "fast and loose" with the facts.
For starters, the 49ers once again claim, in essence, that their initiative is the only path to the June 8th ballot. That's utterly false.
Also, the empty claim that their initiative somehow 'puts all the info out there' begs the question: What additional information will this "49ers' Own Initiative" make available to Santa Clarans which we can't get with the City Council's measure?
Answer: Not one thing.
If the San Francisco 49ers want to "force everyone to put everything out on the table," then they could start by telling Santa Clarans the truth about this initiative: That they're doing it to keep anyone from challenging their worthless Environmental Impact Report in court. That's the only reason for it.
What's particularly insulting about the signature gatherer's second claim above: Santa Clarans have been waiting for over two-and-a-half years to hear the truth not only about the $114,000,000 upfront subsidy and why we have to pay it - but also about the $330,000,000 to be raised by a "Santa Clara Stadium Authority."
The last honest description of this is in a City Staff memo dated - are you ready? - December 12, 2007! (See "Part E", on "Page 16 of 30")
Remember, we're talking about a total contribution of $444,000,000 to be raised by Santa Clara and its Agencies. Does it sound to you like the San Francisco 49ers really want the truth about their publicly-subsidized stadium out there for all of us to see?
Based on what I'm hearing from Santa Clarans this week, I seriously doubt it.
Thanks for sharing your experiences with all of us,
Bill Bailey, Treasurer,
Santa Clara Plays Fair
-=0=-
1 comment:
I saw those same aggressive guys a few weeks ago - not only were they outside the Savemart one was outside the Riteaide - talk about thugs - I've signed petitions in the past but these guys were so aggressive it didn't feel right - on that note alone the petition should be called a sham.
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