Oct 24 2009

Neiman Marcus deserves your support in Walnut Creek

Vote yes on Measure I.
by Don Blubaugh

For weeks, I have contemplated how best to write about the Walnut Creek flap over Neiman Marcus coming to town. I have a vested interest. I live here and worked hard during my tenure as city manager to help shape the future of Walnut Creek.

There are many avenues to discuss but the bottom line is that this project is good for Walnut Creek, produces sorely needed revenue in difficult times, and, contrary to the utterances of the naysayers publicly leading the opposition, will not produce horrendous traffic and parking problems as alleged.

I have voted yes on Measure I and hope you do also.

Let’s look first at the roots of the battle. It is not uncommon for some to wonder about whether this project is good for Walnut Creek. It is appropriate to question and challenge. Often this makes projects better. The opposition leadership in this case, however, comes from a small core group of people who have repeatedly never said yes to anything about Walnut Creek, have never worked toward solutions “… always just opposed, nor have they done anything to help shape this community into what it is today.

It is easy to be against something but hard to have a vision for the future and work to create it. There will be a few followers of this negative line of thinking, but mostly the community is happy with its city and its elected leadership.

It is almost criminal to see that over $1 million will be spent on this campaign. (more…)

Oct 20 2009

Reform Fever!

In short, people are fed up.
by Clint Reilly

Before the progressive movement swept through California in the early 20th century, there was a growing sense throughout the state that Sacramento had ceased working for regular Californians.

Shackled by special interests and rife with corruption, the capitol had become a playground for corporate lobbyists who exerted unfettered control over the legislative agenda.

Over time, public displeasure with the system became public disgust. Reformers of every stripe began to speak out against the corruption and graft in Sacramento.

Once relegated to the political periphery, suffragists, environmentalists, labor activists and good government groups began to coalesce under the banner of “progressivism,” which aimed to take back the state from the party bosses and corporations that were perceived to be running it into the ground.

What a difference 100 years makes.

Today, Californians are similarly disgusted with the state of affairs in Sacramento. Last week’s Field Poll on voter attitudes painted a comically bad picture for the state legislature, with only 13 percent of those polled registering approval. And although he doubled the legislature’s score, Governor Schwarzenegger can hardly brag about his own 27 percent approval rating.

A second poll released by Field indicated significant voter support to overhaul state government from the ground up. Field Poll director Mark DiCamillo stressed the importance of the numbers, noting that “a majority sees the need for making fundamental changes to the state constitution and would support calling a constitutional convention to develop the reform proposals.”

In short, people are fed up. (more…)