John Bruno - The Spectrum Magazine - Redwood City's Monthly ...

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As I Was Saying… Publisher | Steve Penna So you, like me, are probably tired of paying taxes and having more taxes thrown at you because state and federal legislatures cannot balance budgets or make cuts that will ensure some sort of fiscal responsibility. I was one of the several million who rejected all those ballot measures that were supposed to “save our state.” Except I did vote in favor of the one that held “them” responsible for doing their jobs before giving themselves a raise. It, of course, passed. Hope they get the message. It must have had some effect because right after the election the next thing I heard, Nancy Pelosi was in China and I don’t think there will be a large welcome-home party waiting for her at the airport. Now we are being asked to approve a parcel tax in our community that is geared at assisting the Redwood City School District — Measure E on the special election ballot for Tuesday, June 2. It is asking property owners in the district to pony up $91 a year — approximately $7.50 a month or 25 cents a day — per parcel that would go directly to the classroom. Measure E would retain teachers; maintain classroom science and technology programs; keep school libraries open; preserve art, music and physical education classes and continue reading and math tutoring programs. It is expected to generate $2.3 million in revenue for five years. My first inclination is to just continue my thought process and reject this too. A tax is a tax, right? So if my readers will indulge me and let me figure this out with you, or in front of you, I would appreciate it. I can understand people like Jack Hickey, who want us to reject everything. All taxes, all laws and all rules, if you will. He has brought up some good points in ads paid for out of his own pocket to urge us all to vote No on this. But I don’t know if any relate to the current issue. (1) We have to tighten our belts during hard economic times. (2) Charity has its place. (3) Who’s going to bail out the taxpayers? I agree with all of that! The arguments and rhetoric I read from opponents such as Hickey do not really address or answer any of the real concerns of the issue or give alternatives to the budget crisis the school district is in. I think that when challenging any issue, you have to look at the benefits the supporters are highlighting and then state why those are not valid, and they do not even take those on. They basically just play on my disappointment in elected officials and urge me to say No to “them.” But are schools “them”? I can’t help but ask myself: Do I feel responsibility to our community at large? (1) While other surrounding communities have said Yes to their elementary schools and passed several taxes, Redwood City has never passed a parcel www.SpectrumMagazine.net tax for them. In fact, we are the only community feeding into the Sequoia Union High School District that does not support our schools in that way. (2) Compared to surrounding communities, our property values are lower, and schools are given as a significant reason for that. Good schools are important for property values and can be seen not only as an investment in the community but also as an investment in your own property. (3) The district is already considering $4 million to $6 million in budgetary cuts, with the possibility of more on the way. (4) With the state budget a complete mess, local school agencies have to be innovative and come up with alternatives to educate our children. A parcel tax is one way. Combined with the fact that seniors and renters in our community are exempt, Measure E looks affordable and supportable. How are you voting? Please go to www.spectrummagazine.net and let us know. I will tell you how I voted next month. .… The Peninsula Celebration Association (PCA), who are the organizers of the annual Fourth of July activities — the parade, festival and fireworks — are starting to reach out to the community and encourage financial as well as volunteer support. Last month we ran an item from the group appealing to our community. In part, they stated, “Due to a combination of lower return on investments and higher overall cost of producing this citywide event, the Peninsula Celebration Association is projecting a $30,000 budget deficit in its 2009 operating budget. Without additional funding support, the PCA will have some difficult decisions to make about this year’s events.” They also warned that “the size and scope of the parade and festival may be reduced and the fireworks could be eliminated” if they do not get that support. Now, if you are not familiar with this group, they are hard workers. We profiled the organization last year as a cover story, and I have observed them over the years. The events they put on with a small number of core volunteers are unbelievable. They deserve our support. Having said that, there are a few items (issues) the PCA needs to realize and take care of so they can mend fences and move on. First, if you are a longtime Redwood City resident, you may remember that the parade route changed a few years back when construction was going on for the downtown cinema project. The change was supposed to be for only one year but has become permanent, and business owners and residents want it back the way it was. That is the biggest complaint I hear in our community, and I hear it a lot. The reasons I have been told for it not being moved back vary depending on who you talk to, but it seems the main reason is that when Middlefield Road was redesigned at Theatre Way, it was made narrower and now floats cannot get through that area. Second, the festival was moved off the Broadway area to over by the county offices, as was the Kiwanis Carnival. I have no idea why that action was taken, but I assume it was because the parade route changed and they wanted these activities in the middle of it. Makes sense to me. Again, it was supposed to be only for a year. Both of those actions have moved everyone (sometimes estimated at 100,000 people) away from the downtown area on the biggest visitor day of the year. That means the restaurants, shops and everything that the city has asked the taxpayers to spend millions of dollars to revitalize do not benefit from the activity. I have also been told that many businesses used to depend on the revenues from the Fourth activities for a large portion of their yearly income. It does not make sense to me to keep it as it is when there are so many benefits to changing it back to the way it was. I hope dialog can begin to bring the events back to the downtown area because it would be nice to see everyone rally around the PCA. They mean so much to our community and should be viewed as an inclusive, not exclusive, organization. Their bringing the activity back to the downtown area would be a fantastic first step toward that unity. Information about becoming an event sponsor with the PCA can be found on their Web site at www.parade.org or by contacting their office at 650-365-1825. Monetary donations can be sent to Friends of the Peninsula Celebration Association, P.O. Box 5151, Redwood City, CA 94063-0151. .… “Working to make Redwood City better for every generation” was the theme as current Redwood City Planning Commissioner and City Council candidate Jeff Gee held his campaign kick-off event at the Redwood Shores library. Joining the 75-plus supporters and family members were Redwood City Mayor Rosanne Foust; Council members Alicia Aguirre, Jim Hartnett and Barbara Pierce; board and commission members Nancy Radcliffe, John Seybert (who is also running), Rachel Holt and Lorianna Kastrop; and community leaders Dennis McBride, Memo Morantes, Cheryl Angeles, Pete Liebengood, Carol Ford, Pat Dixon, Stacey Wagner and Jerry Pierce. (continued on page 32)
Hansen Named New Sequoia Principal An educator was the last thing Bonnie Hansen planned to be when she grew up. As a young girl in Auburn, Hansen was surrounded by education. Both her parents were teachers; her father went on to be an administrator. Instead, Hansen planned to be a lawyer and a youth advocate. She spent one semester in San Francisco working in the juvenile hall. That semester changed her outlook. Hansen realized what the teens really needed was a strong education to avoid situations leading to juvenile hall. Today, Hansen serves as instructional vice principal at Sequoia High School in Redwood City. After five years in the position, Hansen was selected to take over as principal beginning July 1, filling the void left by Morgan Marchbanks’ departure. In March, Marchbanks announced plans to step down after nine years leading Sequoia to pursue a doctorate degree in educational policy and organizations research at the University of California at Berkeley. Marchbanks’ departure gave Hansen an opportunity to experience a new challenge at Sequoia. Hansen, 38, dedicated her life to education after her experiences in San Francisco. “We really need good education to level the playing field,” she said of her insight after working at juvenile hall. She spent many summers working at summer camps and as camp director while going through school. Hansen has a master’s degree in education from the University of California at Berkeley and a teaching credential from the University of California at Davis. She is nationally board certified in English. “I loved high school since I was attending one,” she said. Hansen has focused her educational efforts on the high school level. She began her student teaching at Grant High School in Sacramento. The school, located in a high-poverty area, has metal detectors at each entrance and a guard at every hallway — a stark difference from Hansen’s experiences in the Sequoia Union High School District. Hansen started in the Sequoia district as an English teacher at Menlo- Atherton High School in 1995. She begged Marchbanks to be hired at Sequoia. Hansen studied an urban education–based program at Berkeley similar to what she saw at Sequoia — particularly when it came to the small learning communities. Hansen pointed to the amazing students as a perk at Sequoia. Even before becoming an administrator, Hansen noticed students were polite and often opened the door for her. In addition, she respected the high expectations set for students and the dedication for allowing teens to focus on education. Sequoia is one of the few schools in the area that has seen an increase in enrollment, a change beginning to shift the makeup of the campus. Moving forward, Hansen sees a challenge in ensuring all students feel engaged. After-school tutoring, support programs and training will be key to success in these areas. Sequoia also offers the international baccalaureate program, a twoyear preparatory process culminating in exams at the end of the school year. These tests could mean college credit for students. In addition, many students attempt to achieve an IB diploma, which requires the student display mastery in a number of topics, including language, individuals and societies, mathematics and computer science, experimental sciences, the arts and a second language. Students must take tests in each subject to earn the diploma. But the advanced classes can allow students to excel in areas like art, performing arts and computers. The key is finding where a student excels, said Hansen. Hansen will return to lead Sequoia after spending three weeks in Ethiopia. It will be her fourth trip in six years to the poverty-stricken country. Hansen works as an educator who helps professors working in Ethiopia trying to teach English. The experience also offers lessons to American educators. Hansen has been married 12 years to her husband, Erik. The pair met through a roommate and hit it off right away. Every Woman’s Place for Fitness • Classes for all fitness levels • Personal training • Therapeutic massage • Skin care services Summer Classes Starting Now! Belly Dance, Yoga, Cardio Strength, Bollywood Dance, and more! Reserve your spot for Jump Start our early morning boot camp. Open to members and non-members. Drop in or buy a punch card and save $. VIP Pass 5 days FREE! Simply bring in this coupon to get started 650-364-9194 611 Jefferson Ave., Redwood City, CA 94063 www.everywomanhealthclub.com The Spectrum 7
Page 1 and 2: John Bruno And the Plan That Will C
Page 3 and 4: The Spectrum.MAY/JUNE.09 Steve Penn
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