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FROM THE MAYOR 

Editors, Daily Planet:  

Recently, there have been a number of letters regarding the Berkeley School District’s proposed move of the Adult School to the Franklin School site.  

The city has been quite vocal about the potential impact on the Franklin neighborhood. In addition to our city manager’s official letter addressing these concerns, Councilmembers Maio, Breland, and I have met with neighbors, attended community meetings, met with school board members, conferred with the city attorney and discussed these issues at public forums.  

However, state law severely limits the city’s jurisdiction over this move. School districts are exempt from city oversight when building classrooms.  

Despite legal restrictions, we have taken concrete steps to address the community concerns raised. For example, we requested that the city manager assign our transportation director to participate on the Franklin Site Advisory Committee—both to make recommendations to the committee, as well as to the manager and City Council. We are also working with the school district to ensure that they conduct a full environmental study of all potential future school moves that do fall under city oversight—including properties on Oregon Street, Gilman Street, Derby Street, West Campus, and Hillside School.  

It is important to note, however, that the city and the school district have been working in positive ways during this time of great fiscal uncertainty. Working together, we brought police officers back to the middle schools, helped negotiate free vision screening for students, leveraged funding for student and family support services, promoted volunteer programs, and launched a joint youth and education initiative.  

I will join City Council in continuing to work on addressing the serious concerns raised by the Franklin neighbors and others, while continuing the important collaborative work that benefits students, families, and taxpayers. 

Mayor Tom Bates 

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TOO MUCH AT STAKE 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

With its new policy of assassinating its legally constituted head-of-state opponent, the Israeli government has squandered the last ounce of moral authority conferred on their nation by the idealism of the Zionist movement, as well as international sympathy for terrible suffering at the hands of its most fanatic enemies. Israel could never have been able to survive becoming a global pariah were it not for the one-sided tilt of its powerful American allies, who have on their own accomplished a comparable transformation in the eyes of the world community in a mere 18 months, from the World Trade Center destruction to the invasion of Iraq. Bush and Sharon are wedded by their relentlessness, which they boldly claim is necessary to match the intensity of their terrorist counterparts. 

Should Israel martyr Arafat, there will be no Middle East solution left but for the permanent occupation of Palestine and subjugation of its people. That, the nuclear arming of North Korea and Iran, and whatever we get out of what remains of Afghanistan and Iraq will be the enduring legacy to the world of the Bush administration. 

It looks increasingly unlikely that Bush will be reelected in fourteen months, but also increasingly unlikely that he’s really concerned about it. He’s a man of doing, not a man of arguing, as he likes to say, and he’s already accomplished much of what he set out to do. The last of his opportunities, the chance to pardon those of his buddies who got caught, like whoever (looks like Karl Rove) blew the CIA cover of Ambassador Wilson’s CIA-operative wife, will only come once, and having only one term will make it happen that much sooner. 

When the Constitution was written, there was nothing so vastly destructive that one man could wreak in four years. Our system provides only unwieldy removal tools, so there’s no recourse when its chief executive is proven to care only for his own short but deadly agenda and nothing for world, American, or Congressional opinion, or even his own place in history. When the Bush nightmare is over, we owe it to ourselves and the world to restructure our government along parliamentary lines, so that the chief executive will at least have to answer to an elected body with a longer horizon. Too much is at stake not to. 

Dave Blake 

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EXPLANATIONS PLEASE 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

John Selawsky’s op-ed piece on FCMAT’s report card (Daily Planet, Sept. 19-22) seemed to echo what we’ve been hearing from Washington. Faced with problems and failings, the answer is always “Things are improving,” without addressing any of the specific issues. What would really be helpful is for the school board to explain why our new boilers are not being maintained. Please explain why some of our schools, including the high school, aren’t so clean. Why are fire and safety code violations, over three years old, not fixed? Please explain why new buildings leak. And most of all, please explain why you gave our well paid administrators a raise more than twice the cost of living while, at the same time, you’re laying off teachers. My sophomore at BHS currently has three classes with more than 40 students in each one. Connection? 

Dan Peven 

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SAFETY FOR DISABLED 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Two pedestrians have been injured in accidents along Ashby Avenue from Thursday to Sunday (“Activist Fred Lupke Injured in Accident,” Daily Planet, Sept. 19-22). Both were using wheelchairs. 

In the aftermath of these accidents, people are asking what can be done to prevent further harm to disabled members of our community. We propose the following steps as a good beginning and ask for community support. 

Pull the Commission on Disability’s requests for changes to the Transportation Element of the General Plan out of the waste bin and integrate our needs into the city’s blueprint for the future.  

Give priority to traffic management, pedestrian safety and traffic calming where severe accidents are occurring—on arterial and collector streets and at intersections.  

Provide adequate transportation choices so people can avoid dangerous situations. For example, issue permits for wheelchair-accessible taxicabs.  

Adequately fund Berkeley’s Paratransit Program for taxi scrip and van vouchers.  

Begin moving the responsibility for all disability-related transportation programs and facilities into the Transportation Department so transportation professionals are addressing our needs.  

Provide adequate and safe placard parking spaces and pickup/drop-off zones in all areas of the city.  

Continue the rollout of accessible pedestrian signals and way-finding aids.  

Raise public awareness that sidewalks must be kept clear of both temporary (refuse bins, parked cars, etc.) and permanent (tree limbs, damaged surfaces, etc.) obstructions. Give this teeth by having the Parks Department begin proactively enforcing the requirements for clearing vegetation from public rights-of-way.  

By implementing these improvements, we can enhance safety and access, not only for persons with disability but for every person traveling the roads and sidewalks of Berkeley.  

Emily Wilcox  

Chair of the Commission on Disability 

Miya Rodolfo-Sioson  

Past Chair of the Commission on Disability 

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SOCIALISTS FOR CRUZ 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

The East Bay Democratic Socialists of America voted at its last meeting to endorse Cruz Bustamante on the second part of the Oct. 7 recall ballot. We had previously committed ourselves to a no vote on the recall and on Proposition 54. We thought other progressives might be interested in the reasoning that led to this decision. 

We vigorously oppose the recall of Gray Davis. The recall represents an effort on the part of the Republicans to take back the state house they lost in last year’s election. If the recall fails then the debate over the second part of the ballot becomes moot. However, we cannot assume that this will happen. The recall battle is at the moment too close to call. A vote for Bustamante gives us a fall back position to accomplish the same objective, that of preventing a Republican takeover of the state house. 

The second portion of the ballot is shaping up as a tight race between Bustamante and Schwarzenegger. The choice between the two is quite clear. Bustamante’s victory wouldn’t represent a significant change for either better or worse over Davis. However, a victory for Schwarzenegger would do serious damage to the interests of working people. 

If significant numbers of progressives vote for Huffington or Camejo, they will be taking votes away from Bustamante and helping Schwarzenegger. Every progressive voter we can convince to oppose the recall and vote for Bustamante will be an important blow against Schwarzenegger and the right. 

Karl Knobler 

Chair, DSA-East Bay Local 

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XXXXXXXXXX 

Editors, Daily Planet: 

Betsy Hunton’s review of the Aurora Theatre’s production of the “The Old Neighborhood” (Daily Planet, Sept. 23-25) included some off the record material that I had mentioned to her in a phone conversation. I don’t think Ms. Hunton understood what “off the record” meant. I never intended this information to be made public. The play will continue to be performed as it is written. It’s doing very well and we’re talking about adding extra performances. 

Sincerely, 

Joy Carlin 

Director of “The Old Neighborhood” 

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Editors, Daily Planet:  

So let me see if I got this straight. Both Mr. LaForce and Tom Bates think it better for the environment to have 48 people driven miles on the freeway in order to practice a sport that doesn’t pollute. If these young women were able to hop on bikes or the bus and head to crew practice they would stay closer to home and help the earth at the same time. If the politicians think the birds at Aquatic Park are more important than the citizens, I suggest they hit up our feathered friends for votes next time. Support our high school while using sound science; let the girls’ crew team practice at Aquatic Park! 

Mike Vaughn