Wednesday, January 6, 2010

49ers Stadium: Signature Gatherers Misrepresent "49ers Own Initiative"

"Bill ~ I ran into one of these guys at Save Mart on El Camino Real on Sunday and as I was going into the store, he was talking to some other guy about the positive things on getting the stadium, giving him a handout, etc.
After my shopping, I exited the store and he yelled to me, asking if I was a registered Santa Clara voter? I said I was but that I was NOT in favor of the stadium, so I didn't want to sign his petition.
He told me that it was not about that, although he was in favor of the stadium, but that it was just an initiative to make sure the issue was place on the ballot in June. (He was a bit loud & pushy, but I didn't think to ask your question or who he was working for!)
I asked him again, was he sure that this was just to get the initiative on the ballot and nothing else, because I saw him give the other guy a pro-stadium handout and I didn't want to sign anything that was in favor of the building of this wasteful & unnecessary stadium. He said "Oh NO, even though he was for the stadium, this is just to get the issue on the ballot!"
When I read through it, I didn't see anything that made me feel that this was put on by the 49ers, and I thought to myself: 'I think I read or heard somewhere that the City might be able to keep this from being voted on', so I went ahead and signed their petition.
I did feel strange about it afterwards though. Like maybe I had been sold a bill of goods or like how you feel after talking to a slick car salesman!
I just wish I had gotten your e-mail sooner! I would have handled this situation differently, primarily I wouldn't have signed his petition!! But, nevertheless, if I see another one of these guys, I will ask "the question", just to see what they have to say.
It's OK to use this story......maybe it will help someone else in their dealings with these tricky guys.

--- Santa Clara Plays Fair Member


So, in essence, Santa Clarans are being lied to in order to get them to sign the "49ers Very Own Initiative" petition. Signature gatherers are claiming: 'Sign this or you won't get a ballot measure on June 8th.'

That's an outright falsehood - and the 49ers and the Stadium Subsidizers knew it very well.

The City Council's own measure is the one that belongs on the ballot - not the 49ers' initiative. There is only one purpose for the team's initiative - and that is to hide the completely worthless Environmental Impact Report certified by the City Council on December 8th, and to make sure that there can be NO legal challenges to it.

In other words: By signing the 49ers' petition, Santa Clarans are depriving themselves of all legal remedies under the California Environmental Quality Act.

Why would anyone sign a petition now that deprives them of their legal rights later?



Thanks for your support,
Bill Bailey, Treasurer

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