Publisher - The Spectrum Magazine - Redwood City's Monthly ...

The Spectrum . Redwood City's Monthly Magazine
(Continued from page 9)
and Bolanos are close friends and would make a great team. Question is – after
all these years would Bolanos take a back seat under anyone? Let’s wait and
see.
* * * *
Redwood City’s City Manager Ed Everett was shocked to receive the resignation
of Human Resources Director Maria Pena. She will be leaving her position at the
end of May and I am hearing that right behind her could be Patrick Alvarez, her
number two person. What’s up with that?
* * * *
What could have made the Community Service Officers and City Dispatchers
want out of the SEIU union and join the Police Officers Association? Your guess
is as good as mine, but should that happen, it would make them one of the most
powerful organizations in the city.
* * * *
Spotted here and there: Sheriff Horsley at Siciliano Restaurant, Council members
Howard, Barbara Pierce and Aguirre and Community College Board member
Pat Milnavich all (not attending together) enjoying music at the Fox Theater
and San Mateo County District Attorney James Fox having lunch at Vino Santo
Bistro.
* * * *
The Suisha House Japanese Bistro restaurant on Broadway recently repainted
their building after going through the necessary hoops with the Architectural
Review Committee. Sometime this month, a City Building Inspector visited the
restaurant and told them that the City had received two complaints about the
new paint scheme and that they had to repaint it. And you thought there was no
code enforcement in our Downtown area. See what happens when you complain?
* * * *
The food and atmosphere were great and everyone is high spirits as the
Redwood City Chamber of Commerce held its monthly Business Connections at
The Acorn restaurant in Menlo Park. Attending were: Port Executive Director
Mike Giari, business leaders, Cherly Angelas, Brian Palter, Denise Lewis, Keith
Kadera, Realtor Chris Hurchanik, and Julie Mooney from Canada College.
* * * *
It was the somberest – is that a word? - election night party I have ever attended.
There were elected officials, school board members, superintendents,
teachers, business owners, parents and all were stunned as they watched the
Redwood City School District’s Parcel Tax, Measure V go down in defeat - (2/3
Vote Required) Votes YES 9,721 61.63% NO 6,052 38.37%. Total Ballots Cast
(of 44,672 Registered Voters) 15,773 35.31% - thus sacrificing class size reductions,
more than 80 faculty and staff members given pick slips, music programs
and tutors for low achieving students.
There was once a time that if you had, among others, former Mayors Brent
Britchgi, Dani Gasparini, Hartnett, Howard, councilwoman Pierce, Roland
Giannini, Redwood Elementary Superintendent Ron Crates, School Board members
Chris Bohl, Dennis McBride, Maria Slocum, Sequoia Superintendent Pat
Gemma, Board trustees Loraine Rumley and Don Gibson, all attending a party
and supporting a campaign it would guarantee a victory. But the tide is a changing
in Redwood City.
* * * *
Redwood City School District officials are planning to survey our community to
see why the parcel tax, failed. Let me spare you the effort and let you know now.
First, mail in ballots – that was the single most destructive factor in this campaign.
Why give people the opportunity to say no and not have to take time and
visit the polls to do so? Wrong choice! Second, business assessments – business
owners were not happy with the possibility of paying up to $1,500 a year
and let their customers know it. It will be passed on to us – the consumer. Not
good to hear. Third, the campaign itself - was lackluster and did not show our
community any indication that there was an immediate need for homeowners to
fork over $85 a year. Only some 35% of those receiving ballots even bothered to
mail them in and the postage was paid for. Fourth, Senior citizens – were confused
that they would have to request to be exempt from the tax, they needed
to know they would be exempt from the tax! Fifth, and maybe the most important
is the fact that property owners are currently being taxed by two elementary
school bonds and two high school bonds. Maybe they just thought enough is
enough?
The big question is – will they try again in this November’s election when the
Sequoia Union High School District and the Community College District are
planning to go to voters also? Maybe those two will hold off and let them try,
after all they are in more need of the monies.
* * * *
And what about political consultant Ed McGovern? His public affairs organization
ran the million dollar campaign to pass the Marina Shores project - Measure
Q - and was defeated by a group spending less then $35,000. This election
there were virtually no dollars spent and it also went down in defeat. It will be
interesting to see if he is tapped to run any of the Council or school campaigns
in the future.
* * * *
On the other end of the spectrum – no pun intended - Libertarian and member
of the Sequoia Health Care District board Jack Hickey saw the defeat as people
supporting his agenda. Although he did not spend any monies, he prepared the
ballot statements against the parcel tax and wrote several letters in local publications
stating why the tax should not be supported – Is that all it takes?
* * * *
Could disgraced former Redwood City schoolteacher Rebecca Boicelli or her
attorney be reading The Spectrum? A few months back I predicted that she
would try and plea bargain her way out from facing up to six years in prison and
feeling the wrath of Deputy District Attorney Elizabeth Raffaelli. Lo and behold,
it is happening (if not by the time you read this, soon). The trial is scheduled to
begin on June 27 if the plea bargain is not accepted at a May 19 hearing.
Boicelli was charged after a DNA paternity text showed that the father of her
baby was a former student. I guess they learned that it is better to compromise
and spend 1.5 years in prison and not have to face Raffaelli. Wise choice.
* * * *
There are changes abodes in our Downtown area. At City Center Plaza –
D’asaro is being remodeled into a Nola’s restaurant (there is one in Palo Alto),
same owner Greg St. Claire. St. Regal Jewelers and two other businesses are
moving from Broadway to Main Street and new businesses will fill the vacant
spots as the Cinema project nears completion. The County Square project will
be starting its demolition towards the end of the month making way for a
much-needed gathering area downtown. Pete’s Coffee will occupy the former
site of Hair It Is! on the 2600 block of Broadway while the Beauty Supply Shop
will move to where Honkee Noodle restaurant was and the two spaces in the
middle will be turned into a yet to be determined restaurant.
* * * *
Taking time out from dealing with STAR testing, the resent rise in gang activity,
under funding for staff and programs and graduations coming up, Sequoia High
Principal Morgan Marchbanks and Superintendent Gemma addressed the City
Council recently and urged them to deny a request from the Secrets Adult
Bookstore to give them an additional six months to find a new location. The
bookstore must relocate after the council passed an ordinance in July 2000 that
banned such businesses within 1,000 feet of the school. They were given five
years to do so but need a few months more and the council reluctantly agreed.
With so many vital issues facing the school district and its students many wondered
why they choose that issue to make such a fuss over. I guess you have to
pick your battles no matter how trivial they seem.
* * * *
I bet that is one grand opening they will not be attending? Does that mean no
cheerleaders?
As I was saying . . .