Monday, September 15, 2014

Why we need an independent City Council


Dear Santa Clarans,


Whether you’ve got “mini-dormitories” in your Old Quad neighborhoods, or abusive 49ers’ fans parking up and down your streets while dropping their litter behind them, or automobile speeders using your streets as expressways, we’re betting that you can feel it:

A city government far less accessible to city residents than it ever has  been, and much more beholden to special interests.

A quick look at the FPPC campaign finance reports on file with the City Clerk’s office – and only as of June 30th! – tells just a part of the story.   Just halfway through the Form 460 of returning candidate Dominic Caserta, one finds the following totals of contributions:

~$18,000 from real estate, construction and developers,
  ~$5,000 from the San Francisco 49ers

And that’s only the first twenty some-odd pages.  For Patrick Kolstad,

  ~$3,750 from the San Francisco 49ers. 

You get the idea.  But what if there were an alternative?

What if, rather than “returning incumbents”  pretending to be challengers, we had real challengers who have accepted NO money from special interests?  Candidates who believe that Santa Clara is for Santa Clarans? 

It could be that the best way to welcome regular city residents into City Hall may be to elect more regular residents, with the energy and desire to serve, to our City Council.

And that is why Santa Clara Plays Fair strongly endorses:


√ Karen Hardy  for Santa Clara City Council, Seat 2:

√ Kevin Park  for Santa Clara City Council, Seat 5:

√ Deborah Bress  for Mayor,  City of Santa Clara:


On November 4th, elect a truly independent City Council.
Thank you for all of your support,


William F. “Bill” Bailey, Treasurer

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