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Letters to the Editor
MISREPRESENTATION
Editors, Daily Planet:
Your article of Oct. 31 regarding the picketing janitors protesting job conditions at UC Berkeley’s International House misrepresents the situation. I-House officials invited input from the custodial staff and are aware of their concerns about work conditions. The staff submitted a proposed workstation plan, which was taken under advisement. A formal letter of response was submitted to AFSCME in early September, and it was discussed in staff meetings. The supervisors mentioned to staff that they did not agree with implementing the proposed work assignments, but agreed to be receptive to new ideas. The article further implied that some workers were doing less than others. The fact is when assignments are completed, employees are assigned to utility work which equates to everyone working an eight hour day.
It should be noted that charges of disrespectful treatment on the part of one supervisor are taken seriously and are being investigated.
The department has continued to work proactively with AFSCME, that staff, and Campus Labor Relations to evaluate the workstation assignments and make changes if deemed necessary.
Greg Rodolari
Director of Physical Operations
International House
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FIERCENESS
Editors, Daily Planet:
Thank you for your timely coverage of local issues.
I was especially intrigued by the phrase “fierce neighborhood opposition” used in Matthew Artz’s recent article “Neighbors Defeat Disputed Seminary” (Daily Planet, Nov. 7-10). I would like to see some of that fierceness imported to North Berkeley in order to rid the area of the dilapidated bit of Berkeley history known as the Hunrich Grocery on Rose Street between Spruce and Oxford streets. The building was declared a Structure of Merit by BAHA in 1988. Now shrouded in flapping plastic and partially surrounded by a chain link fence with fluorescent caution tape blowing in the wind, this deteriorating structure is a blight to the entire neighborhood. Clearly it is also a safety and health hazard to its immediate neighbors. Are we to wait and watch the ailing building collapse little by little or can something be done to end its slow deterioration? It is painful to watch the walls sag further and shingles disappear. O, for some neighborhood fierceness!
Andrea Foley
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JUST PLAIN SCOUTS
Editors, Daily Planet:
It was a pleasure to read your news article about Baily Hopkins, “Boy Scout” (“Boy Scout’s Not a Boy,” Daily Planet, Nov. 11-13). To see an upbeat story on the front page is a true delight. Stories about people like Baily, with critical minds and civilized attitudes, inspire more hope in the future that would otherwise be there. I particularly enjoyed learning that our Berkeley Scouts were the first to openly reject the Boy Scouts of America’s ban on gays (for evil to flourish good people must remain silent). By the way, I think we could take a page out of the Central American Scout Book by not having our scouting organizations based on gender and just have Scouts.
Virgil Todd
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PUSHING THE RULES
Editors, Daily Planet:
One commonality between all of us, be one a child, an enterprising real estate developer, or an esteemed editor is that whenever we are given a rule it will be pushed to the limit. I would suggest that it is not necessarily a bad thing and that the problem you have been reporting about alleged underpayment of taxes by certain individuals may lie as much with the rule-makers, and as the investigation is unfolding it is looking more and more that way. In some instances it may be a good idea to build in sufficient financial slack into some of these rules so that desired projects are given more of a chance of succeeding. And further I would suggest that applying foresight by city planners to these matters is no easy matter. I am pleased with your reporting of this matter and would only encourage that you continue with dispassionate resolve and be mindful that the answers you may believe to be correct in the beginning of the investigation could be different than the one that are eventually reached. I never cease to be impressed with the thoughtfulness that permeates every aspect of life in this fine city including this publication, and I trust it will be reflected in the coverage of this matter.
Steve Pardee
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ABSURDITIES
Editors, Daily Planet:
A recent letter concerning building heights made reference to “a handbook for planners and developers published in June, 2003 by the San Francisco District Council of the Urban Land Institute” which makes recommendations for building heights in “walkable” neighborhoods.
This leaves me wondering whether the Urban Land Institute recognizes “unwalkable” neighborhoods as legitimate urban/suburban development. That concept is at the heart of the decline of older cities and the failure of repeated revitalization attempts to produce anything resembling sustainability.
It’s amazing how so many professionals can sing the praises of taxpayer-subsidized “smart growth” and at the same time ignore a state planning code that fails to require all urban/suburban development to be equally accessible to those who cannot, should not, or choose not to drive. Traffic congestion and environmental problems will never be resolved if we continue to allow discriminatory urban/suburban development anywhere.
New heights of absurdity were reached when the Democrats in Sacramento and Gov. Davis approved SB60, allowing illegal immigrants to have driver’s licenses. Now they can have access to jobs that are beyond the reach of citizens who don’t drive and lack adequate alternatives.
Art Weber
El Cerrito
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VETERAN’S DAY
Editors, Daily Planet:
Thank you for the excellent article “Moving Veteran’s Day Rites Provide Cause for Reflection” by poet Alta Gerry (Daily Planet, Nov. 14-17). As a life-long peace activist and conscientious objector, I appreciated her sensitive perspective on this often misunderstood holiday.
Burl Willes
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CULTURAL SPACE
Editors, Daily Planet:
I’ve followed with interest the Daily Planet’s coverage of the ways developer Patrick Kennedy and his Panoramic Interests appear to have played fast and loose with the terms of agreements in which he has been granted both extra height and reduced fees and assessments in return, as I understand it, for setting aside 20 percent of the housing units as “affordable,” and providing “cultural space.”
Lately, Councilmember Dona Spring has called for a full investigation of how major developers (and there seem to be few besides Kennedy) do business in Berkeley.
I am eager to see this happen, along with continuing investigative articles on this issue. In particular, I’d like to see some details on the “cultural space” matter.
I subscribe to the Shotgun Players, and had eagerly looked forward to the company moving into its new home in the Gaia Building. For months, a banner hung from a veranda on the façade, promising this. Now it’s gone, and what I’ve heard through the grapevine is that the “cultural space” offered to the company lacked any of the amenities that would allow them to use it for theater. They were supposed to raise funds for lights, seating, etc. themselves—which a cutting edge group like Shotgun could not dream of doing.
Then I heard that Anna’s, the jazz cafe venue formerly down on University, was going to move in. That sounded tantalizing. I have no information, but am unsure if it’s really happening.
An old cliché has it that the devil is in the details. Frankly I get the sense that Kennedy is very adept at talking the talk, but when it comes to “walking the walk” of earning breaks from the city by meeting community needs, he plays fast and loose. Then too, his name appears on Shotgun’s contributor list--which might make it hard for them to publicly call him to account.
So this is a plea to the Planet staff to do some digging. I doubt the paper owes Kennedy any favors.
Donna Mickleson
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Editors, Daily Planet:
Recently I’ve been much impressed with the use of public transit for getting to Cal football games. I watch the big AC Transit buses roll by, coming from Rockridge BART and the parking lots out on College. I even see a lot of people who walk in to the stadium from out beyond where I live, at College & Parker. This is great.
This is in contrast to the complaints I keep hearing about the lack of downtown parking. Berkeley has better bus service than the other Bay Area cities, and there are no less than four BART stations, if one counts Rockridge. In this town, it’s really easy to get downtown by transit. Maybe the people who complain actually don’t know what is available? Maybe transit isn’t advertised enough? I doubt that; it’s very easy to find out anything you need to know. The football game patrons seem to have figured it out.
People who visit Berkeley’s many fine shops, restaurants and theaters really don’t need much downtown parking. The recent complaint from YMCA members is such an embarrassment. Of all organizations, the YMCA should be encouraging bus riding, not providing free parking. The YMCA office ought to fill the gap left by the closing of the Berkeley TRIPS store, and sell bus passes.
Merchants complain about losing parking garage space. I even hear rumors that the Arts Commission is saying there isn’t enough parking. All this is really kind of silly, given the great transit we have in Berkeley.
As a regular bus rider, I know the heady freedom of getting off at a downtown stop and proceeding to my destination, with no concern whatever for parking. I really like that.
Sure the buses are crowded sometimes, but that’s no real problem. It’s mostly Cal students, flashing their “Class Pass.” One of them usually gives a seat to a senior citizen.
Sure, buses are late sometimes. Actually, even as a regular rider, I haven’t memorized the schedules of the downtown buses. I just hang around at the nice bus shelter until a bus shows up. Of course I do know what buses go where, and about how often they run. I carry a 31-day pass, and I know where to wait and how to get on and off. Having acquired those urban skills of bus riding, I feel very secure. I can always find a bus to take me home. Maybe twice a year, I’ll get into some situation when I need to use a taxi; Berkeley has plenty of taxis too.
Berkeley really does have enough parking; we really don’t need to keep clogging the streets by using a car for all trips, and poisoning the air with car exhaust. Bus riding in Berkeley is really convenient and fun. I know. And so do the football fans.
Steve Geller
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Editors, Daily Planet:
I believe the widespread frustration with the near zero degree of accountability in Berkeley City government is one factor fueling a growing “no taxation without representation” sentiment even in Berkeley.
For example, permit parking is at best sporadically enforced in my neighborhood. Students living on my block, with luxury SUVs, without permits, rarely if ever receive tickets. The appropriate city officials will not tell our councilmember, Kriss Worthington, how many times a month the block is patrolled. This is one example of arrogance and lack of accountability.
In my neighborhood we have tried to get the city to deal with the problem of commercial delivery trucks using residential streets as short cuts instead of staying on the city’s prescribed truck routes. Three and a half years ago in March 2000, City Council referred this problem to city staff calling for a three or four-ton limit on vehicles in residential areas. Three and a half years have gone by and the problem remains. For a while three-ton signs were installed, but city officials did not follow through to make the necessary changes to the city code to codify the change. Instead, Peter Hillier, the new deputy mayor for transportation, removed three-ton truck signs, arguing in part that this could inconvenience Hummers. We are in worse shape than where we started from three and half years ago. The action approved by Council has never been implemented. The truck problem continues. This is another example of arrogance and lack of accountability.
One way to contribute to reducing the budget deficit and restoring citizen confidence in city government would be to enforce the traffic laws. A rough estimate is that several hundred cars a day speed on my block (and hundreds like it). If even some of them were ticketed, the quality of life would improve and the revenues would rise. I am told this is not a realistic proposal. Has anyone in Berkeley city government heard that there was a recall in the state because among other things the government and its officials were considered to be arrogant and unaccountable?
Paul Rabinow
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Editors, Daily Planet:
I am a Berkeley resident and a San Francisco firefighter. In 2000, I also co-founded a camp for young women to teach about leadership and the fire service called Camp Blaze.
I am frustrated with your word choice in your Nov. 11-13 article entitled “Firemen Describe Inferno.” As you well know there are a number of women working in the fire service around the Bay Area (yes, in Berkeley too) and throughout California. Using the word “firemen,” though while accurate to describe the gender of the Berkeley firefighters mentioned in your article, excludes firefighting women from public awareness.
Women make up a small percentage of the firefighters nationwide, but that proportion is much higher here in California and higher still in the Bay Area. The citizens of our city and our state need to know that all firefighters are not men. Many young women still have no idea it is a career path option, and media representations such as yours continue to shroud our profession in mystery.
Not all firefighters are men. Can we refer to what it is we do and not our gender?
Alissa Van Nort
