More info on Hayward City Council candidates
By Eric Kurhi
Friday, March 16th, 2012 at 4:11 pm in Business, Crime, General, Hayward, Politics, Schools.
Our story on who’s running for Hayward City Council come June should be posting online soon. And as promised at the end of the story, you can find more information on each candidate here, as collected from the City Clerk’s Office, candidate statements, websites and interviews. Candidates in order per Secretary of State’s randomized alphabet, starting after the jump.
Shahla Azimi
Residence: Fallbrook Drive. Lived in Hayward more than 14 years.
Job: Works for City of Oakland as a revenue analyst.
Education: MA in public administration, Cal State East Bay.
Hobbies: Reading, drawing, baking.
Financial disclosures: None.
Azimi said that she’s very passionate about the city, and “just wants to see Hayward like other cities.” She wants positive changes in schools and businesses. She said the council can convey frustrations and put pressure on the school board, and wants to foster a business climate that will encourage people to spend money in the city and not in Fremont or Pleasanton. She said she is very personable and brings strong budgetary skills to the table, and wants to work toward developing new sources of city revenue.
Website: None at this time.
Francisco Zermeño
Residence: Sleepy Hollow Avenue.
Experience: City Council since 2008. Planning commission, 1999 to 2007, Library Commission, 1998, task force on Hayward Public Library, 1996.
Job: Council member. Spanish professor at Chabot College since 1978. Former owner of Z Video, now runs home business Terlingua Translation with his wife, Elisabeth.
Education: MA in Spanish from UC Santa Barbara. Two years ROTC.
Hobbies: Reading, writing, Spiderman, family, Hayward.
Financial disclosures: Terlingua Translation. Gifts: Tri-Ced Recycling, $200 tickets for fundraiser. Firefighters Local 1909, $100 tickets for fundraiser.
Statement: Councilman, Educator, Businessman.
Hayward, the Bay Area’s 5th largest, the Heart of the Bay, is the city I love, and the one for which I have spent, and will spend all of my energy to keep safe and prosperous. All of the decisions I make as your city councilman are with the very best interests of our city, and you, my neighbors, in mind. Four years ago, I promised to help make Hayward safer, friendlier to small businesses, and to improve the quality of life in our neighborhoods. By working together with my council colleagues, city employees and you, we have been able to weather the recession without sacrificing public safety. We have made it easier to start up a business. And we have focused on bringing the community together to help our local schools. There is more to do. You deserve to be safe on your way to work, school, home or play. You deserve a clean environment, with more trees and free of garbage and graffiti. Of course, we need to continue to revitalize our local economy. With your trust, I will continue to work diligently towards an Economically Vital, Safe, Clean, and Green City. I thank you warmly! Hayward on!
Website: www.zermeno.com
Fahim Ajaz Khan
Age: 28
Residence: Pompano Avenue. Lived in Hayward 28 years.
Job: Console operator at A&M Industries in Pleasanton. Started his own business aimed at real estate investing and rental properties. Nonprofit volunteer.
Education: Tennyson High, some Cal State East Bay.
Hobbies: Investments, reading Wall Street Journal, movies, exercising, real estate, cars, etc.
Financial disclosures: None.
Khan said he’s wanted to be on the City Council for most of his life, and “knows more about Hayward” than other candidates. He said education and job creation need to be at the forefront of priorities, as improvements in those areas would make the city more attractive. Test scores must improve, he said, and while he understands the school board is directly in charge of Hayward Unified, he would like to “try to conjoin” the board and council to work together. He said he is “an aspiring young entrepreneur trying to make something of himself.”
Website: Under construction.
Greg Jones
Age: 49
Residence: Prospect Street, lived in Hayward 4 ½ years.
Experience: City manager of Hayward from 2007 to 2010. Also served as city manager in Chico and assistant city manager in Concord.
Job: Owner of Realty World Neighbors in Hayward.
Education: BS in business administration, MPA, United States Air Force officer from 1983 to 1990, serving as a navigator.
Hobbies: Running, reading, movies, travel.
Financial disclosures: Gift of $750 from Women’s Council of Realtors for TriCities for attending state meeting.
Statement:
As a navigator in the United States Air Force, I learned how to set clear goals, chart a direct course, understand the limits of resources and overcome obstacles. While serving as Hayward’s City Manager, I used my training to set our city on a course of fiscal discipline, quality service and active community involvement. I worked with the City Council and our neighborhoods to establish two basic goals: Crime Prevention and City Cleanliness. That’s because we should at least help to make people feel safe and proud of their city. A safer and cleaner Hayward will attract new investment and create jobs. I’m running for City Council because I believe that Hayward can benefit from my in-depth understanding of government finance. Hayward will benefit from my labor-relations experience working with employee groups as they struggle to best serve every neighborhood despite shrinking resources. Hayward will benefit from my ability and passion to continue working with our community on youth, education and arts programs by developing stronger, bolder, more effective policies. Please review my record and vision for Hayward at www.GregJonesForHayward.com or call me at 510-886-GREG (4734). I hope you’ll find me worthy of your vote. Thank you!
Website: www.gregjonesforhayward.com
Barbara Halliday
Age: 62
Residence: Lindenwood Way. Lived in Hayward for 26 years.
Experience: Been on City Council since 2004. Served on Planning Commission from 1996 to 2004. Citizen’s Advisory Commission from 1990-1996. 880/92 Interchange Citizens Advisory Committee from 1991-2002.
Job: Council member, retired medical liability claims professional, from 1979 to 2008. Journalist/public affairs writer from 1972-1979.
Education: BA in American Studies fromUniversity of Virginia, graduate student in journalism and urban studies at the University of Maryland.
Financial disclosures: Principal Financial Group, variable annuity. Stock in Hewlett Packard. Farm property rental in Minnesota. Gifts of golf tournament tickets from Steve Miller worth $290, Mary Hayashi political dinner on Oct. 1 worth $75.
Hobbies: Piano, scrapbooking, hiking, skiing.
Statement:
As a Council Member, I’ve focused on strengthening neighborhoods, reducing crime, enhancing our environment, revitalizing downtown, and serving children and youth. Working together, we’ve made great progress. I supported neighborhood partnerships throughout the city, reducing crime, blight and vandalism and giving residents tools to get more prompt and effective service from city departments. I voted to bring police closer to people by opening substations in north and southHayward, and I supported anti-gang efforts that led to multiple arrests and less crime. I helped enact measures to reduce pollution and make our buildings greener, joined monthly efforts to clean up litter, and supported street fairs and family events bringing diners and shoppers downtown. I’ve advocated for our library and the volunteers it attracts to help people of all ages learn to read. Our Homework Support Center, funded with grants and operated with volunteers including myself, has already helped boost HUSD scores. As part of the team that has kept Hayward moving forward through tough times, I believe I have the proven experience to work effectively on the challenges ahead and help Hayward achieve even more success over the next four years. I’d be honored to have your support.
Website: www.HallidayForHayward.com.
Olden Henson
Residence: Silver Maple Lane, 33 years in Hayward.
Experience: Council member since 1994. Planning Commission, 1991-1994; Mayor’s Task Force on Schools, 1993-1994; Citizens Advisory Commission, 1987-1991; Hayward Citizens for Rent Relief, 1978.
Job: Council member. Self-employed software consultant, specializing in outside encryption.
Education: MS in Physics, University of Pennsylvania.
Hobbies: Web surfing, reading, church activities.
Financial disclosures: Owns G.E. stock, contract employee for Advanced Consultant (Symantec) in Las Vegas. Assistant administrator at Windsor Medical Corp in Fremont, owns property in Lovelock, Nevada. Gifts of $50 for charity dinner from firefighters union.
Statement:
I have three priorities for reelection as your City Council representative: 1) economic development, including job creation; 2) establishing a gang injunction policy and process that prevents gang activities; and 3) a strong collaborative approach with our school district focusing on district wide performance improvement. Doing so will not only help our students, but will bolster families, safety, improve our economy and the city’s future. Additionally, I am now developing a sister city partnership with Lujhu,Taiwan that will allow for economic investment in Hayward, an educational and cultural exchange, and a technological partnership that will enhance the growth of our 30 plus biotechnology companies. I helped created a free student transit pass for our kids. As a national expert on first responder communication, I am endorsed by the Hayward firefighters. Communication is critically important for this community’s safety. Hayward can be the community we want it to be and I, as your Council Member will lead the effort to make these priorities functional living examples. Thank you for the honor and privilege of serving you. Reelect your Council Member Olden Henson on June 5, 2012.
Website: www.henson4hayward.com
Al Mendall
Age: 39
Residence: Brookside Lane
Experience: Planning Commissioner for 6.5 years. Sustainability Committee member since 2007. Previously on Citizens Advisory Commission, 2001-2006, co-chair of Campain $olutions for Hayward.
Job: Works as a software developer at Interactive Data Corp in Hayward,
Education: BS in computer science at UCLA in 1995.
Financial disclosures: Owns stock in Pfizer, First Solar, St. Joe Corp. (Florida real estate co.), Western Union, Exelon, Applied Material, U.S. Bancorp, Berkshire Hathaway, International Speedway Corp. Rental property in Lincoln.
Statement: My education and qualifications are:
Hayward is a great city – the “Heart of the Bay.” That’s why I’ve been serving Hayward for over a decade: as a community volunteer, Planning Commissioner, Citizens Advisory Commissioner, and on the Sustainability Committee. I work in Hayward, my wife and I purchased our first home here, and we’ve chosen to raise our young children here. On the Planning Commission, I’ve worked closely with many current and prospective business owners, pushed for more collaboration with the community on development, and fought for more parks, open space, and greener, smarter, transit-oriented development. My priorities as your Councilmember will be: Maintaining staffing levels for police and fire and making Hayward safer, simplifying the business permitting process and creating incentives for businesses to invest here and create jobs and shopping opportunities, making genuine improvements in Hayward’s appearance by combating blight, putting Hayward on a more sustainable path both fiscally and environmentally, and making Hayward a more youth-friendly city. I appreciate the support I’ve received from the Hayward Firefighters and Police Officers, former Sheriff Charlie Plummer, Mayor Mike Sweeney, Councilmembers Marvin Peixoto, Bill Quirk and many more.
Website: www.AlForHayward.com.
Peter Bufete
Age: 22
Residence: Gleneagle Ave., 10 years inHayward.
Experience: ASB president at Hayward High. College Leadership Fraternity.
Job: First aid and CPR certification instructor at own business, Bay Area First Aid & CPR Training. Works for HARD at Mission Hills Golf Course, senior advisor at Elderly Health Care Services, volunteer elderly caregiver.
Education: BA in Political Science at UCSB.
Hobbies: Golf and Cooking.
Financial disclosures: None
Excerpts from website:
When I heard about the 4 open seats for Hayward City Council, I noticed that none of the candidates really shared my perspective on Hayward issues. That motivated me to join the election. I believe that Hayward Education is in a crisis and needs the collaborative effort of both the City Council as well as the School Board to resolve the issues. I believe that the longevity of our city lies in motivating Young Hayward to become more politically involved and active in the community. I believe that public safety and that the health of our citizens must be a priority. I also believe that Hayward can do a better job stimulating the local economy and at the same time becoming more sustainable. … I am fully committed to develop and implement a well-designed gang injunction program. … I believe that I best represent the young adult population that is fresh out of college and looking to make the world a better place. My vision is to see more entertainment venues, more student hot spots, and a better night scene in our downtown.
Website: http://peterbufete.com/
Ralph Farias Jr.
Age: 30
Residence: Belmont Avenue, 20 years in Hayward.
Job: Self-employed food, beverages and spirits broker.
Education: Tennyson High, Hayward High, Chabot, Michigan State University.
Hobbies: Photography, traveling.
Financial disclosures: None
From website:
My name is Ralph Farias Jr. I am running for Hayward City Council for the Second time because there hasn’t been much change within the past few years in Hayward. Our City has an increasing public safety problem, from an increase of Assaults, Burglaries/ Thefts. Also Hayward has a large amount of Vacant Business fronts, a major BLVD (Mission) that has a major vacancy Problem. Our Economic growth in our city has been a major disappointment to many of the residents of our fine city. I feel that with my strong BUSINESS background and my dedication I can bring Hayward back to its glory days. I am not one of those politicians who tells you one thing and when elected goes the other direction. I believe politicians are supposed to represent the citizens and not stroke their ego! I will not pull any punches and I will be straight forward with everyone. Together we can make Hayward a place that can attract businesses and residents, where they can send their children to attend school. I ask you for your support and am EAGER to serve you.
Website: www.wewantralph.com
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March 16th, 2012 at 5:06 pm
It’s pretty sad that out of nine candidates only two are women. Which of the men are aware of women’s issues?
March 17th, 2012 at 2:35 pm
The most important decision that can be made is to vote out the incumbents. Hayward is not that confusing a place and it has taken only a short time for outside influences to already dominate the incumbents. It is time for Zermeno, Halliday and Henson to go and make way for new blood. Mr Quirk is in the role of professional politician. Replace the four with four folks who are new and without a lot of baggage.
The first issue should be to insist on performance and no new taxes, fees, assessments or bonds. We must first be fully satisfied that what we have is producing a decent result. There is too much waste now for what we get.
March 17th, 2012 at 3:13 pm
Look closely at the following candidates. These will all give Hayward a more representative city council and will breed new life in to the city. Replacing the incumbents with almost all new blood is critical if California and Hayward is ever going to learn that taxing and assessing is no way to have governemtn.
Greg Jones to be elected in to Bill Quirk’s vacant slot.
Shahla Azimi to be elected to replace Barbara Halliday.
Peter Bufete to replace Olden Henson.
Fahim Ajaz Khan to replace Francisco Zermeno.
Only Greg Jones comes with history, but his history is much better than that of Al Mendal who is just like the old guys, bought and paid for by the biggest unions in town. Exactly what we do not need.
Bufete is young, inexperienced and with some mentoring could be an outstanding representative of youth, which Olden certainly is not.
Shahla Azimi could not be any thicker than Barbara, which is to be selected for. She will be an advantage. She also will represent an important part of the city that does not have representation.
Fahim Ajaz Khan will spe3ak more directly to what is needed than Francisco Zermeno has.
Vote out the rascals.
March 17th, 2012 at 7:14 pm
Nice Job Eric!
Good to see nine candidates running, most or all that seem to be enthusiastic about the job.
I don’t know who I am voting for, but I don’t think it will be the incumbents.
I do think I will vote for Ralph. I think he is a bit of a politician, but I also think he understands what Hayward is lacking. Beyond that? Impress me!
March 18th, 2012 at 6:34 am
All;
As usuual,Michael Moore is quick to offwer criticism..
one only wonders where he was ever seen donating much time to personal involvement in any task force or real proble solution at City or School matters.
The next time an opening occurs at Library or planning commission….. he might offer his talents free of charge…. but only if he agrees to be pro-active rather than hyper-critical!
March 18th, 2012 at 12:09 pm
If you are a big fan of Luis Reynoso then you will love Ralph Farias Jr. If you are happy with the way things are going you should vote for tax and spend candidates like Al Mendel, Barbara Halliday, Olden Henson and Francisco Zermeno.
If you want to see a stop to new spending vote out the incumbents and those that have bought and paid for by special interests and unions. We already have enough of that on the City Council that are not up for defeat in the current election.
March 18th, 2012 at 1:23 pm
Check out the agenda for the next council meeting. They are talking about updating the general plan and spending more, Michael.
March 19th, 2012 at 12:33 am
All:
Now we see Mr.Moore behaving as though his vast experience of service to community through considerable service in ad hoc groups and / or Task forces, as an appointed choice by memebers of City Council or HUSD Board of Trustees, suggesting that we need to expel all incumbents who desire re-eletion to City Council.
Will he, at some point in near future, set up a curbside lemonade stand while also offerinjg a selction of winning lottery ticket numbers?
Folks, Moore has a right to excercise free speech,.. but do not be taken in by ‘Blarney’. Soon he will be wandering about, thumb in his mouth while dragging his blanket!
Perhaps, after the election, he will be offered a job sweeping out the parking garage under the City Hall offices? Of course he would be offered that opportunity if just four of the new faces, which he recommends, won a seat!
March 19th, 2012 at 9:58 am
Sherry, you have prefectly identified why the incumbents need to go as soon as they can be voted out of office. Spending without funding is irresponsible. Make them accountable and toss them out of office.
March 19th, 2012 at 10:02 am
Richard Mellor in San Leandro has called for these 6 calls for action by the San Leandro and related school boards:
A. Vote unanimously to oppose the state imposed cuts and refuse to implement them.
B. Call a press conference and announce that they will not be the agents of the 1% in dismantling public education.
C. Organize/call community meetings, leaflet grocery stores and other venues where working people and youth congregate in order to build a movement that can fight the cuts through direct action and economic disruption as determined democratically by the participants(working people/youth can be very creative.)
D. Link such a movement to those fighting cuts in surrounding communities.
E. Attend local boards in other communities and urge them to join with you in this fightback.
F. Point to where the money is that we need to give people a decent life and our youth a future.
Any one of these is a substantive and committed call and what the students might have reasonably been expected to advocate. Instead they selected a one week publicity gimmick which gained nothing but words of no real change.
I applaud these six efforts which are at the heart of Community Action that includes those from all persuasions. You are right to be concerned that the regular voices drone on without committing to real actions that will make a difference and can be done.
March 19th, 2012 at 10:13 am
i would like to know each candidate’s position on the red light camera contract coming up for renewal this year. on the local level, this is no small matter. the tickets are over $500 now. of this, the private company that administers the cameras is paid $60,000 per month while hayward receives only $10,000. we can’t afford that kind of drain.
March 19th, 2012 at 10:42 am
Mr. Kyle: Mr. Moore is simply engaging his right to free speech. Although I have no intent to defend his views, I do see that instead of saying why you think his view is wrong, you change the topic to one about his character. You did the same thing with Kathy Booth. Why don’t you stick to the issues?
I would certainly like to know if you have an argument about why you think Moore is wrong. I don’t think any of us is in a position to judge or even care about his character. By making the conversation about his character, you are diverting it from its real purpose.
Or maybe you don’t have an argument?
March 19th, 2012 at 10:50 am
Michael, thanks for introducing us to Richard Mellor. Taking back democracy is not easy. I don’t think it’s going to happen at the level of our elected officials.
We have to stop looking to them to do it for us. It has to happen from the ground up. People need to wake up and become the citizens a democracy requires.
March 19th, 2012 at 10:53 am
Sherry,
It will be interesting to see if Mr. Kyle takes your advice…but I won’t hold my breath. Michael’s last posting is good food for thought.
March 19th, 2012 at 1:53 pm
Sherry, we are the democracy. It is as easy as our committment to voting out the incumbents and insisting on compliance to our desires.
Mr Swarr the Red Light concession is well documented as a rip-off of both the city and the citizen. I have not been victim of the system, but many others have.
Perhaps Hayword should be a forum for local action issues that should be known by the nine candidates. Any others have a point of view on this?
March 19th, 2012 at 6:03 pm
I thought this was our online forum! A lot of forums are turning up online. See E-Democracy.org. They usually have a forum manager to keep the bullies in line.
March 20th, 2012 at 10:27 am
Sherry, not sure what your concern is. Please clarify.
March 20th, 2012 at 3:20 pm
Ms. Blair;
Yes, Mr. Moore has a right to express his opinions! However ‘Rights’ are best exercised when an individual, who utilizes that right, has contributed time and physical effort toward the common good through the actual personal election process. Another good local example occurs when residents respond to an invitation by City or School district to contribute to the common good by an active participation in an ‘ad hoc’ group or ‘task force’ which undertakes an examination of the pros and cons in an area of specific concern.
I began my involvement by personal participation in time consuming matters which centered on the noise emanating from the Hayward Airport as well as low approach and takeoff patterns employed by varying sizes of aircraft, over and above residential properties and school classrooms at varying times of the night and day. Since that initial participation in efforts, seeking solutions to problems affecting our quality of life, I have been involved in something nearing two dozen ad hoc groups and or Task Forces since that initial late 1980’s involvement! Most of those acts of participation came as result of invitation and interview by either City Council or The trustees and/or the HUSD administrators.
Mr. Moore first made known his presence in the community through his frequently scurrilous contributions to the Hayword Blog, about 15 or 18 months ago. One of his contributions expressed poorly founded accusations against the RC Church and or the Pope. You may have seen the item which I introduced. that first appeared in full page paid statement, of a newspaper in a city of Ohio which is also distributed in closely located Louisville Ky, where one of my daughters lives with her Husband and Daughters.
A ‘advertisement’ by a person of the Hebrew faith who owned and operated a funishings business in or near Columbus Ohio published, in a full page newspaper article, a defense of the Roman Catholic Faith which was under attack over the business of child molestation by priests. The Jewish gentlemen advised persons of the R.C. Faith to ‘hold up your heads’ as that gentlemen went on to describe the results of his personal investigation into child abuse andother examples of misconduct b0y miscreant clergymen and clergy women of other faiths. It is not commonly understood that protestants and ministers of other faiths are involved whether they be male or female.
If you go back to the blog contributions made by Mr. Moore whose first contribution appeared, according to my memory, as early as the second qtr. of year 2011. Moore, at one point, identified the present Pope as a member of ‘Hitler Youth’ when in reality the Pope was forced to participate, while wearing a military uniform, to the extent that the pope was assigned to an Anti-aircraft weapons battery while still in his teens.
I met and served with a fellow, a naturalized citizen soldier, drafted at the same time that I was pulled into the Army by the draft board, in Oakland, who as a ‘very early teenager’, late in WWII, was pulled into the Wehrmacht. That young man took much abuse from a Sergeant in our company, who had a thorough dislike for Germans and unfairly hounded that draftee. That young man was transferred into another battalion of the regiment and was highly useful as a translator in damage settlements with German farmers, whose crops and orchards WERE TORN UP BY MILITARY VEHICLES DURING PEACE TIME NATO MANUEVERS IN THE MID 1950’S. Later, I discovered that he was generous in providing a son-in law with advice on matters pertaining to pattern making in an iron foundry where son-in-law has become a ‘key man’!
So, I have come around to the idea that Mr. Moore is a ’victim’ also! He seems to me to be a victim of a lack of opportunity for ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN ANY ad hoc group or task force, sponsored by City or School District. On the other hand I do not let him get away with some of his remarks…. Especially since Moore has apparently not been provided opportunity for generous devotion of time to participation in formal, task solving ‘ad hoc groups’ or ‘task forces’ as established by the City or HUSD.
On the other hand, if you care to go back into the Blog contributions found in of the second through third quarter of year 2011, You find that Moore once went so far as to describe the Pope as a member of the ‘hitler youth’! The reality was that the Pope , as a teenager, was pressed into service as an anti aircraft battery member. Much the same experience as the young naturalized citizen who was ‘drafted by the same selective service board that I dealt with …( see ABOVE).
Ms. Blair, you might wish to go back to the blog entries occurring from the time Mr. Armas was appointed to replace the departed Sarah Gonzales. Mrs Booth had joined with a particularly vile contributor who went so far as to state that I had ‘stalked’ her daughter! Of course that individual contributor was using a nom de plume,( ‘Obama new age’) so I naturally assumed that Ms. Booth approved of that bit of licentiousness and we began our bitter exchange!
Moore jumped into the blog, in mid-year or early fall of 2011. I have yet to meet anyone who can tell me of Moore’s contributions of time and effort which benefits the City or School district. I also wonder if he is the same heavy weight fellow who was seen in a published news photo, mixing with ‘occupy’ types at Oakland’s Frank Ogawa Plaza.
As to the blog itself, I jumped into contributions effort when I observed that it was the worst thing possible to have ever occurred in Hayward. I was annoyed by vicious contributions, which generally tore at the character of elected or hired folks at HUSD and which did nothing to enhance the quality of life or political thought in Hayward. Ms. Booth, a law school graduate who disdained an attempt at the bar exam allied with a blogger who identified herself as “Obama new age”. That nasty individual actually stated that I had ‘stalked’ her daughter? She also attacked the character and qualitative mind of Mr. Armas as did Mrs. Booth.
Happy is the day when Bay Area News group pulls the blog !
March 20th, 2012 at 5:14 pm
Michael I’m not sure what your question is about.
John. I can see you have a lot of baggage. It may even be true, but I see no reason to bring it up as a substitute for debating the real issues of today.
March 20th, 2012 at 11:03 pm
Ms.Blair;
Baggage?
Repartee is not your str4ong suit!
March 21st, 2012 at 8:41 am
“Happy is the day when Bay Area News group pulls the blog !”
You’ve been saying that for some time, John. Why don’t you just not visit the site?
I’m starting to wonder if you are deliberately trying to sabotage the HayWord comment section and chase people away.
March 21st, 2012 at 9:08 am
Eric,
Thank you so much for putting Mr. Kyle in his place. Since discovering the blog I have found it to be a place where individuals with ideas,opinions and questions can participate in robust discussions…that is with the exception of one who finds great joy in attacking others. The HayWord is a valuable asset in our community.
March 21st, 2012 at 11:06 am
kURHI
i ACCEPT THE CHALLENGE…. THE BLOG WILL DIE OF IT’S OWN WEIGHT!
March 21st, 2012 at 2:54 pm
I do think it is possible to have different points of view, argue them well and still remain civil. Look at the amicable relationships between Justice Scalia and Justice Ginsberg for a model.
I also think we need to treat candidates, elected officials and public servants with the same respect we want for ourselves. Most of them are working really hard to do the right thing. We don’t have enough of those people to be trashing them.
Then we need to change the whole system so all the disenfranchised people are given an equal opportunity. That also includes the intelligent ones who are thought of as crazy by the majority. There’s a book called Strange Brains and Genius dedicated to “the cracked ones, for they shall let in the light.”
I have some other plans, but I’ll save them for later. LOL
March 21st, 2012 at 3:50 pm
Eric, thank you.
March 21st, 2012 at 3:51 pm
Sherry, are you saying that Hayword should only reflect the HUSD?
March 21st, 2012 at 3:58 pm
Mr Swarr, the Hayward Police Department will be presenting Traffic/Photo Red-Light Program as a part of the Hayward Citizen’s Academy on Tuesday evening, April 17, 2012 in the Conference Room 2A at City Hall. Sergeant Chad Olthoff, Officer Dave Johannes and Lieutenant Bryan Matthews the SWAT Commander will be jointly presenting that night.
March 21st, 2012 at 4:06 pm
Perhaps John could devote his time to compiling a biography for his family and others who might have an interest. Some of his stories are interesting. I think there is a writer lurking in there some where.
I hope that parents let the school board have it but good. Even in the summary, the school board used numbers instead of the names of the people who were removed. Enough all ready.
March 21st, 2012 at 5:40 pm
Michael – No. Where did you get that idea?
Teresa, I agree about John’s history being of value.
March 21st, 2012 at 6:26 pm
Sherry, in 16 above your wrote,
“I thought this was our online forum! A lot of forums are turning up online. See E-Democracy.org. They usually have a forum manager to keep the bullies in line.”
I took your response to be to the question about the Red-Light Cameras. I thought that you were suggesting that that area of discussion did not belong in Hayword. I assume now that I am incorrect which is fine. I will let it go.
March 22nd, 2012 at 2:16 pm
All. The following was submitted to ANG as a ‘my Word’ Piece but probably will not qualify due to length…
all blog readers ought sift through this effort… lest HUSD sink beyond retrieval by ‘deep divers’.
It reads as follopws:
The total amount of the HUSD Trustees intended new real property assessment, is quite close, (in terms of dollar amount), to the Average Daily Attendance money presently forfeited to the State of California, with each daily occurrence, of an act of truancy! We, the home owning Hayward School District taxpayers, are being asked to make up the $29.10 loss of money paid to HUSD by the State for each day of attendance lost to truancy by a student. Each day that a student plays hooky requires a deduction in money delivered to HUSD, in the amount of $29.10. It all adds up to something near or above, $9,000,000. per year.
So keep that bit of information in mind when HUSD trustee elections occur in the fall of year 2012.
At risk of appearing redundant, that added ‘dip’ into the pockets of home owners, comes in the form of the new real property tax that our esteemed trustees plan to impose as a means of offsetting the losses occurring to ADA money now withheld by the State of California, as a penalty for failing to correct our truancy problem.
Ask yourself what the State presently does with that withheld penalty money…. Does it return any sum to those whose homes or earnings were already taxed to support schools?
Looks to me as though an indefensible ‘double whammy’ will soon occur, simply because HUSD Trustees presently refuse to recognize the solution laid out in SB 1317. That law, which became effective on January 1, 2011, permits prosecution of the parents who neglect their flagrant truants ! One or two publicized lawsuits’ filed by the District Attorney upon formal complaint of HUSD, following the rules laid out in SB 1317, makes unnecessary the HUSD Trustees plan to impose an assessment on homes of presently overburdened taxpayers; especially those who are unemployed at present!
Using the data for the last full year statistical report ( 2010 – 2011) 60.2% of the total enrollment, (11,21 students out of a total enrollment of 18,641) were absent without an acceptable excuse offered by parents or guardians, for a day or more!
The following was published in the weekly bulletin handed out to those All Saints Church paerishoners, attending the evening Mass on March 3rd and the Sunday gatherings of March 4, 2012.
• Of the 280 students who graduated from Hayward High in 2011, only 80 were prepared for college.
• Across Hayward Unified, there were more high school dropouts than college ready graduates in 2011.
• In 2011, only 34% of schools met their target API ( a state standardized test that gauges student’s real educational level vs. grade level expectations).
• In the last 5 years HUSD has lost over one hundred teachers, while class sizes are increasing.
Is it not time for those living in HUSD areas of The City and County, make some personal, physical effort at creat- ing solutions rather than sit back and do nothing but ‘blog lamentations’?
March 23rd, 2012 at 6:59 am
Teresa and Sherry
Would you please offer comment to item #31 above
March 23rd, 2012 at 9:11 am
Good to see we have some serious candidates. While I admire the drive of the younger ones I don’t think Mr. Farias or Mr. Bufete have the background or education I’m looking for.
March 23rd, 2012 at 9:50 am
I am not sure what to answer, John. The schools will be the same until the surrounding mentality changes. I went to private schools, which I do know are not the end all to everything. I do realize that these schools can pick and choose their attendees. However, so can the public schools if they wish. Students can be expelled; and they can be assigned to continuation school as a last ditch effort. Perhaps more students need to be sent to juvenile hall if they are not attending school.
Part of the problem is that school’s do not discipline what they teach. If my kid at charter school does not do his homework, gets poor grades or misses classes, he has participate in reparation at school. He gets stuff at home too, but when he was in public school, there were no consequences. Not passing classes was the norm in the public schools, while at the charter school it is looked down upon by everyone there.
While funding the district per student seems logical, this makes little sense. This method encourages schools to hang on to every student including those who can’t really function in the classroom and need other kinds of help.
It may be time to fund by the size of the community and let the school board have more flexibility where the money is spent. Schools need to be encouraged to hold students back, maybe by semester instead of the whole school year.
I still don’t understand why scores are so low. Clearly, these kids are not at a reasonable level. Maybe it is time to start holding back kids who cant score at least an average score on these tests.
I do believe this is the method used in other countries and it does seem to work.
March 23rd, 2012 at 12:32 pm
Teresa
Upon treading your number 34 above, I come to the conclusion that like many others in the district, you might accept this simplistic description in the manner of funding by the state to the schools.
School funding is directly related to the attendance rate and is basically based upon the enrollment as of October of the school year. My explanation is based ly upon the example of the Middle schools which are five (5 ) in number which added up to 3,090 students enrolled on Octovber 1, 2010. the 2010 – 2011 experience is the latest full year experience available and is perovided on request to any residential Taxpayet within the HUSD district.
The budget is predicated upon the full amount of money to be received if every student attends each and every school day of the year commencing with October 1, Problems develop when the ADA ( average daily attendance,) money is not delivered in the full amount. The State ‘holds back’ ,in the current scheme of things, $29.10 per day for each act of truancy. Expressed another way, we are probably ‘on track’ to lose another $9.000,000. . I BASE THAT estimate ON THE AMOUNT THAT husd TRUSTEES INCLUDE IN THE NEW PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENT.
I am told that the sum used currently is $29.10 per student, per day of actual attendance….. the natural tendency is to plan a budget on the assumption that all who register by October first are included in the count and in the current fiscal year that sum adds up to $29.10 per student. What it was in year 2009 – through 2011 may have been provided me but I seem to have lost that bit of data. Year 2011- 2012, the current year, is not germane to this explanation for the simple reason that the year is not yet near to being concluded.
So here are the facts relating to our current year predicament as well as the describing the predicament of previous years….HUSD Board of Trustees is slow to adjust IT’S ATTITUDE AND EFFECTIVENESS ON LOSS OF MONEY PAID BY THE STATE WHICH IS WITHELD FOR EVERY DAY THAT A TRUANT FAILS TO PROVIDE A VALID EXCUSE FOR HIS/HER ABSENCE.
PRESENTLY, i AM TOLD THE RATE IS $29.10 PER STUDENT FOR EVERY DAY THAT THE STUDENT FAILS TO PROVIDE AN ACCEPTABLE EXCUSE FOR HIS/HER ABSENCE…
I DO NOT HAVE A ‘HANDLE’ ON THE CURRENT YEAR TRUANCY RATE. I do have in my possession, as I write this item, a copy of the experience for year 2010-2011.
We had enrolled on October 1, 2010 , 18,641 students of which number 11,181 had a record of truancy sufficient to be classified as truants. The average truancy rate for k-6 schools was 42.05%; for middle schools it was 77.12% and for our High Schools 87.08 % expressed another way 60.2% committed acts of truancy which cost the district about $9,000,000. Which is rationalized by the board of trustees as being a ‘need of taxpayers’ to toss a few bucks more into the pot.
$58 dollars per year for each property on the asswessment rolls at the county may not seem worth arguing about…. What p…… me off is the fact that the board fails to recognize the tool which is available to them to have the parents of the truants pay the entire bill!
I refer of course to Calif. State Senate bill #1317 which was authored by J.Leno and which became effective on January 1, 2011. That senate bill goes to the real heart of the money problem as well as it does to the facts surrounding truancy. Our esteemed Board of Trustees has not employed SB 1317 for which fact I hold them all responsible as an act of negligence. I like them all as individuals but collectively there seems to be a major problem in performance of duty to the taxpayers.
Invoking senate Bill 1317 in each case of truancy goes to the heart of the problem which is…. ‘Parents who do not perform the duties required of them, under the laws of California, from the moment they become ‘parents’. That law, when invoked, requires the District Atty. to file charges of parental neglect in a court of law. If found guilty the court may require payment of monetary damjages and the limit on Jail time is ‘only’ one year! Not much…. But my bet is that purposeful publicity or one or two parents brought into court under terms of SB 1317 will be enough to cure our $9,000,000 hooky problem which is being unfairly laid upon Lawful residents of the school district.
Up to a year in ‘the cooler’ is an alternative punishment for parents who would in all probability attempt to assure correction of their child’s (children’s ?) unexcused absence from school.
March 23rd, 2012 at 12:36 pm
Theresa,
Upon treading your number 34 above, I come to the conclusion that like many others in the district, you might accept this simplistic description in the manner of funding by the state to the schools.
School funding is directly related to the attendance rate and is basically based upon the enrollment as of October of the school year. My explanation is based ly upon the example ofthe Middle schools which are five (5 ) in number whicyh added up to 3,090 students enrolled on Octovber 1, 2010. the 2010 – 2011 experience is the latwest fulol year experience available and is perovided on request to any residential Taxpayet within the HUSD district.
The budget is predicated upon the full amount of money to be received if every student attends each and every school day of the year commencing with October 1, Problems develop when the ADA ( average daily attendance,) money is not delivered in the full amount. The State ‘holds back’ ,in the current scheme of things, $29.10 per day for each act of truancy. Expressed another way, we are probably ‘on track’ to lose another $9.000,000. . I BASE THAT estimate ON THE AMOUNT THAT husd TRUSTEES INCLUDE IN THE NEW PROPERTY TAX ASSESSMENT.
I am told that the sum used currently is $29.10 per student, per day of actual attendance….. the natural tendency is to plan a budget on the assumption that all who register by October first are included in the count and in the current fiscal year that sum adds up to $29.10 per student. What it was in year 2009 – through 2011 may have been provided me but I seem to have lost that bit of data. Year 2011- 2012, the current year, is not germane to this explanation for the simple reason that the year is not yet near to being concluded.
So here are the facts relating to our current year predicament as well as the describing the predicament of previous years….HUSD Board of Trustees is slow to adjust IT’S ATTITUDE AND EFFECTIVENESS ON LOSS OF MONEY PAID BY THE STATE WHICH IS WITHELD FOR EVERY DAY THAT A TRUANT FAILS TO PROVIDE A VALID EXCUSE FOR HIS/HER ABSENCE.
PRESENTLY, i AM TOLD HE RATE IS $29.10 PER STUDENT FOR EVERY DAY THAT THE STUDENT FAILS TO PROVIDE AN ACCEPTABLE EXCUSE FOR HIS/HER ABSENCE…
I DO NOT HAVE A ‘HANDLE’ ON THE CURRENT YEAR TRUANCY RATE. I do have in my possession, as I write this item, a copy of the experience for year 2010-2011.
We had enrolled on October 1, 2010 , 18,641 students of which number 11,181 had a record of truancy sufficient to be classified as truants. The average truancy rate for k-6 schools was 42.05%; for middle schools it was 77.12% and for our High Schools 87.08 % expressed another way 60.2% committed acts of truancy which cost the district about $9,000,000. Which is rationalized by the board of trustees as being a ‘need of taxpayers’ to toss a few bucks more into the pot.
$58 dollars per year for each property on the asswessment rolls at the county may not seem worth arguing about…. What p…… me off is the fact that the board fails to recognize the tool which is available to them to have the patrents of the truants pay the entire bill!
I refer of course to Calif. State Senate bill #1317 which was authored by J.Leno and which became effective on January 1, 2011. That senate bill goes to the real heart of the money problem as well as it does to the facts surrounding truancy. Our esteemed Board of Trustees has not employed SB 1317 for which fact I hold them all responsible as an act of negligence. I like them all as individuals but collectively there seems to be a major problem in performance of duty to the taxpayers.
Invoking senate Bill 1317 in each case of truancy goes to the heart of the problem which is…. ‘Parents who do not perform the duties required of them, under the laws of California, from the moment they become ‘parents’. That law, when invoked, requires the District Atty. to file charges of parental neglect in a court of law. If found guilty the court may require payment of monetary damjages and the limit on Jail time is ‘only’ one year! Not much…. But my bet is that purposeful publicity or one or two parents brought into court under terms of SB 1317 will be enough to cure our $9,000,000 hooky problem which is being unfairly laid upon Lawful residents of the school district.
Up to a year in ‘the cooler’ is an alternative punishment for parents who would in all probability attempt to assure correction of their child’s (children’s ?) unexcused absence from school.
March 23rd, 2012 at 4:53 pm
Saw something that showed school registration was up slightly this year over last as well. Will try to remember where I saw this.
Noted at the HUSD meeting the leaders insisted that the number of students had dropped again.
I don’t know about anyone else, but I found school mostly pretty boring. Oh well, so are many things in life unless you make them fun.
March 23rd, 2012 at 4:56 pm
Re cameras for lights: I believe that Hayward makes a $10,000 profit out of the deal. Yes there is a payment, but the city still comes out ahead.
March 24th, 2012 at 1:21 pm
John, I thought your comparison in #31 of the amount of money lost through truancy with the money the district wants us to fork out was interesting.
I have not commented before about your issue with truancy, because I see it from a different point of view than you do and didn’t feel up to the argument.
But since you asked, first of all, and you may agree with this, I do believe in laws. Laws, however are just wishful thinking if they aren’t known, followed and enforced. I too have been trying to get HUSD to obey the laws. My issue is the law regarding not discriminating against poor children. It’s the law, but I have never noticed you supporting obeying that law.
Recently, you told me about your experience with truancy as a child. My experience with truancy (except for one day in the 5th or 6th grade when I played hooky in the woods near my elementary school just to find out what it would be like) was as a parent.
When my children were in school in the seventies and eighties, many parents were upset because the schools didn’t meet their responsibility to advise parents when their children didn’t show up. I met with parents who had no idea their children had not arrived at school. If you don’t believe it, you underestimate the cleverness of children in outwitting their parents, especially working parents. It wasn’t like when you went to school and moms stayed home for the most part.
Not notifying parents was a terrible neglect of responsibility on the part of the schools. Then they started automated calls to homes that didn’t solve the problem either for a lot of reasons – like kids would erase the messages before their parents got home from work. I find it absurd to blame parents alone and threaten them with imprisonment while the schools fail to meet their responsibilities. It would be no more absurd to threaten school attendance officers with imprisonment for not doing their jobs! Good grief, what was needed was real communication and collaboration!
Of course that was then. I have no idea of what the problem is now, but, I see no reason to blame parents any more than the schools.
Furthermore, I think the flight of both parents and students from our schools cannot be solved by locking people up.
Parents who take flight from a district they perceive as underachieving usually do so to give their children a better education somewhere else. Parents sometimes do this at a great sacrifice, selling their family homes and moving etc. Those parents should be commended. If the district wants families back, they’ll have to earn them!
When it comes to student truancy, there are many causes and until parents, schools and the community are willing to take the time and spend the money to awaken to the individual needs of students, I see no reason to villify our children either. This is a complex world. I think our children need our help. Frankly I don’t have the answer, but I believe it must have to do with treating each other as equally valuable and individual human beings. Maybe we just need to remember the Golden Rule.
March 24th, 2012 at 6:24 pm
Sherry,
So very well put…but I am sure that Mr. Kyle will not appreciate your words nor your heartfelt beliefs.
March 24th, 2012 at 9:43 pm
Ms.Blair,
As of this year, individual student attendance records are available online through the HUSD parent portal (at least at the high school level, not sure about middle school). In addition to receiving an automated call regarding an absence, parents may check their student’s daily attendance record online using a computer or smart phone to do so. While not every household has a computer a large percentage of families have smart phones. (It amazes me how many kids at the elementary level have internet access on their phones!) Between the closed campuses and the parent portal, it has become very difficult for students to get away with the things that used to go on in my day (the 70′s, Sunset High School).
Your entry has may valid points, the last paragraph is beautifully said.
March 24th, 2012 at 10:31 pm
Ms. Blair;
In response to #39 : Please provide further explanation of your contention that HUSD discriminates against poor children.
I should not be accused of supporting discrimination against poor children by HUSD unless you enlighten me as to how that discrimination has occurred. I am at a loss position when attempting to understand that remark ! It does not aid matters when Mrs Booth ‘jumps in’ with another inane remark typical of her contributor type!
If you are aware of a specific situation in which prejudice has occurred against children, especially if they are seen as being members of a racial minority then, I would think, that the present board as well as top administrators, now well composed with members of the ‘racial minorities’ … are in a position to correct the problems which you believe presently exist.
I suggest you put your complaints to paper and sent a ‘registered’ letter with return receipt requested.
There was a time when the Irish were at the bottom of the heap. If you read an early history of The City of Chicago you will learn that before the civil war, black folks moved out of areas in South Chicago when the Irish laborers, having finished digging the Erie Canal, ( with picks and shovels,) moved into the so called Negro neighborhood… where Black folks abandoned the area because of the behaviors of drunken Irish laborers, who were largely unemployed after the completion of the Erie Canal. Seems that the lads had left the colleens behind, did not know how to write and thus lost out on marriageable women! Not like Boston where the Irish simply learned the ‘quick way to the top’ by the simple act of stealing City Hall.
What I attempt to suggest to you if you have a real beef with HUSD and the way the treat children….. gather your facts with as much detail that canbe supported by physical evidence and collaborative individuals and put an end the abuse you seem to think exists
My beef with parents of children who are chronic truants lays with the fact that it is virtually impossible for an intelligent parent to be misguided by a student’s attempt to conceal truancy!
One of the factors which influences my rationale for immediate use of SB 1317 is the fact that Hayward zip code area 9454 alone provides housing for something near 4,500 parolees, probationers and recently released unsupervised felons…. While Pleasanton, which recently lost a lawsuit for not providing low income housing….. ‘suffers’ with the presence of just 5 or 6 such individuals not penned up in the County Jail!
Parents are responsible for providing housing, clothing, food and education…it is the law and failure to do so imposes consequences which lead to new parcel taxes which I resent considering that an alternative was available to our do nothing Board of Trustees!
March 25th, 2012 at 8:53 am
Kathy, I think your comment about Mr. Kyle is the same kind of personal attack that I was referring to in regard to Mr. Kyle’s personal attack on Mr. Moore.
Thank you Silent Observer. Times change.
John, Thanks for the advice. Unfortunately, the issue is more complex than that – you know, like the truancy issue. It’s interesting how other people’s issues always seem less important, less difficult to solve than our own.
I agree with you about the inequity of prisoner release into communities. Poor communities have always been further disadvantaged in that way. I would go even further and say that we wouldn’t have so many prisoners in the first place if we didn’t make life so difficult for those on the bottom. How many of those prisoners were drop outs and push outs from our schools? Now you want to lock up the parents too?
And if we start locking up parents, who will feed and care for the children? Have you ever studied the foster care system?
What about all the highly educated and paid people who are supposed to be accountable? Why is there a difference in penalties between white collar and blue collar crime?
Just asking.
March 25th, 2012 at 10:42 am
The reason that probationers and ex-convicts end up in Hayward and the Unincorporated areas and not in Pleasanton is because the housing costs are significantly lower than in Pleasanton.
March 26th, 2012 at 12:32 am
Mr. Moore;
I am composing a lengthy submission on the subject…of housing in Pleasanton and Hayward or Oakland
I have retired from my employment as a real estate appraiser….. I spent 30 of my 40 years in the Banking Business as a real estate appraiser … I have stirred up the parole officers to the poinjt that I have some incredible statistics to share…..
I spent the weekenjd going door to door in support of Mr. Quirk’s candidacy for the asembly so I am behind in my home/yard chores as well as fact that I have not yet started my income tax returns…
I do think that I will complete the self imposed chore of enlightening folks on the underlying cause of recidivism and truancy!
March 26th, 2012 at 9:06 am
Moore;
Let us take the issue a bit farther.
As a result of my having become something of an annoyance to local parole officers in Alameda County, the folks in charge of those offices dealing with Probationers and Parolees, provided some uncorroborated information, to something called “Urban Strategies Council”. That group issued a county wide map showing the relative concentrations of parolees living within zip code areas ; it was done in conjunction with a color coded, approximate count of the number of parolees and probationers in each zip code area of the county.
ABAG sued and won a case in the courts over the fact that Pleasanton simply ignores the socially acceptable thing that occurs in Oakland and Hayward. Which is to say that those two cities meet the overload resulting from Pleasanton’s denial of goals deteremined by ABAG (Association of Bay Area Governments) which has imposed goals and or ‘quotas’ on new housing tract creation in SF Bay area cities; the purpose being that we provide housing for low wage income earners, who in all fairness deserve that consideration for many well known reasons.
ABAG sued and won but since then not much in the way of housing has been added to Pleasanton. Gail Steele, a retired County Supervisor, had advocated a project which would have been incorporated low icome housing into into Pleasanton…. but get this… it was a proposal for low income senior citizens…. whose kids if they had any, are largely found in low income areas of Oakland and Hayward.
Which is not to say that members of minority groups are totally shut out in Pleasanton. They do live in Pleasanton…. but they are limited in numbers by the fact that those who do have children in Pleasanton schools, are success stories who, if denied entry to existent housing in Pleasanton would bring hell down upon the involved realtors. The point is that Pleasanton’s actions involve just ‘low income’ housing of the type seeing approval of low income folks such as are accommodated in Hayward and Oakland. That particular set of circumstances makes HUSD schools difficult to administer and provide with finance!
In my possession ARE THE PAROLEE AND PROBATIONER COUNTS. THERE IS A COLOR CODED Map showing the estimated number of parolees and probationer counts, DISPLAYING THE RESIDENCE LOCATIONS for paroled individuals, at each and every Zip code in Alameda County……. (a result of my constant letter writing effort ) !
I am providing exhibits to Mr. Kurhi, pick them up at his place of business. Allow time for mail delivery….Wednesday at the earliest
March 26th, 2012 at 9:15 am
All;
What is needed is public clamor overthe unfair distibution of ADA money!
If Pleasanton gets the same ration of ADA MONMEY AS DOES husd, WHILE DENYING abag’S GOALS FOR LOW INCOME HOUSING, WHY SHOULD THEY RECEIVE THE SAME DOLLAR AMOUNT IN TYHE DISRIBUTION OF ada MONEY.
iT IS A SIMPLE MATTER OF justice AND YOU THE TAXPAYER ARE AT FAULT FOR NOT PAYING ATTENTION ! WORSE YET, HEA… IS MUTE ON THE SUBJECT!
March 26th, 2012 at 5:07 pm
John, you raised more questions than answers!
Have you investigated how the developer’s fees for low income housing is being used in Hayward? Have we built more for the seniors than the young?
Also, I have heard, but not investigated,that the city is being forced to build housing. How much development can we handle? Is the housing being evenly distrubted among the neigbhorhoods? Are we allowed any open space?
Why would families want to buy houses when there is no room at the neighborhood school and the kids would get split up and bussed around town?
I’ve got more…
March 26th, 2012 at 5:56 pm
All of these boil down to a simple decision in the election. It is time to vote out of office every single incumbent in every elective office in June and again in November.
Vote no on all spending increases and all taxes as well as parcel assessments and fees. It is time to demand more of what we already are stuck with than to solve problems by spending more money on the problem while running away from the solution which is management of the results.
There is no need for professional politicians. They merely run from one job to the other. As soon as they get PAC money, Union endorsements and special interst dollars you have the beginning of the insoluble problem. Out with the Rascals.
March 26th, 2012 at 8:03 pm
There is a formula for determining how many low income housing units should be set aside in a new development.
As I understand it these units do not necessarily have to be withing the actual development site. Developers can set aside money to be used for low income housing at a different site. This was done on Saklin Road; in conjuction with Eden Housing, a low income complex was built with “set aside” developer money…keeping the housing far away from the actual development. It is my belief that the children who now reside in this Saklin Rd housing were assigned to Longwood Elementary..requiring them to cross Winton Ave and Hesperian to get to their school.
Truancy has multiple causes. I am not sure that arresting parents and putting them in jail, even if it is only one or two to make an example of, will have any positive effect on reducing truancy. In fact, I think such a move will only cause a new set of problems that will fall squarely on the shoulders of the children.
March 26th, 2012 at 10:12 pm
Ms. BoothI have a different memory of the Sakl;in Ave Development./… the low income units are on that site…. what the ratio was i HAVE FORGOTTEN. eDEN hOUSIN WAS INVOLVED IF IN TRUTH THJE LOW INCOME UNITS ARE LOCATED ELSEWHERE…. I WOULD NOT UNDERSTAND WHY YOU WOULD SEPARATE THEM FROM THAT SITE UNLESS IT IS, THAT LOW INCOME FOLK HAVE BECOME ‘UPPITY’
YOU MIGHT NBE INTERESTED TO KNOW THAT THE HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF PAROLLEES AND PROBATIONERS IN hAYWARD ARE REPUTED LINING IN ZIP CODE AREA 94541…..WHICH WE BOTH SHARE. SOMETHING BETWEEN 730 AND 1267 …. THE FACT THAT THEY HAVE SUCH BROad ranges in the estimates is due to the fact that some parolless are loose with out supervision by a parole officer… these guys move around a lot…. perhaps out of fear of being picked up on another charge???/ who knows…?I installed a 12 foot foot height pole which has device that turns the power off at sunrise…. turns it on again as sun sets… lights up a 150 foot radius which protects my neighbors as well as my home….. electric expense might be aws high as $ 7.00 per month during winter months. Sodium vapor lights up a large area of unobstructed space.
March 27th, 2012 at 9:15 am
Mr.Kyle,
The Saklin Rd. project was used to satisfy developer’s fees for low income housing. I checked with an ex city council member and the developer did not wish to include low income units in their development. I have no idea what you are speaking of when you say low income folks have become uppity. They go where the housing is located; perhaps it is the developers of mid and high income housing that are the uppity ones.
I have lived all my life with people from all backgrounds, yes even parolees…their parenting skills fall into the same range as those of most children. Some parents, yes even wealthy educated parents, simply do not provide the best of role modeling nor the best guidance for the lives of their children.
March 27th, 2012 at 9:38 am
Moore;
At # 49 above, your advice is draconian!!
Too severe! Wipe ‘em out?
Then replace them with others who have no undserstanding of the functions of governement at differing levels from City To County and then National offices?
Come on! Get real!
March 27th, 2012 at 3:57 pm
Booth;
I disagree….to satisfy a fee charge you let ‘em build a low income project in lieu of building low income needs at another location (or another project….??? ) In effect you compound the fee load
at a seconde site……..the construction lender would have some questions about that !
March 27th, 2012 at 5:59 pm
I didn’t like the Saklin Rd idea either. We need to treat low income families the same as others and not relegate them to some distant corner. It’s time to stop dividing people into gated communities and gettos, especially if we are going to continue to underpay young people on the bottom of the corporate ladder. Why should developers get to divide us to make a profit.
I didn’t get your “uppity” remark either, John.
There’s a new book out – Going Solo. The author found that the trend is going toward living alone – more than 1 in 7 people! Do we have enough housing for them? Do we relegate them to some other corner too?
Also, maybe the paroles are in 94541 but so is the police department! Also, in my neighborhood in 94541, crime is committed by young people, who are lowest on the low income scale if you compare by age groups. Does anyone know what the crime rate is among paroles?
I do agree with John Kyle about Michael’s solution being too draconian. I don’t want to pay for the time it takes to bring new people up to speed and hope they will be different than their predicessors. Let candidates be educated on their own time.
Further, I think the problem is that democracy requires citizen’s taking responsibility and participating. That is how we get good people in office.
March 27th, 2012 at 6:13 pm
Mr.kyle you may disagree but that in fact is how I have had it explained to me. Rather than set aside a certain number of units/parcels/homes whatever you wish to call them in the actual development; the city has agreed to allow a developer to designate equivalent money to be used in another project that is specifically targeted for low income housing. Usually these projects are handled by Eden Housing.
Throwing out the “good old guys” does not seem to work. I think it may be because when the newly elected settle in they are overtaken by the same mentality that was there befor the election…then we essentially have a new set of “good old guys”.
March 27th, 2012 at 10:16 pm
Sherry, you may disagree with the idea of not voting for incumbents. My point is that after the first term in office, the focus is on getting elected and getting money for that election. In short incumbency is about being bought by the special interests, unions, pacs and now super pacs. We are so much well served by real citizen elected representatives that are here for just a single term. This is the only way that these folks will begin to demand performance and transparency from staff and from the government. After two years in office, the goal of the elected official is to sell him/herself to the special interest. Just look at the support of individual politicians. They are all corrupt in one way or another. Vote the Rascals out.
I think Bill Quirk is a smart guy. He is not my first choice as a candidate and he has spent a great deal of time currying the favor and cash of his supporters. Is Bill corrupt. He is getting there. He is supported by CalPers organizations. He has not bucked them yet and for real change to happen he will have to. My guess is he will not. He is not an incumbent yet. He could offer some service. I personally would rather start with newbies that are not yet corrupted. Let them try to make change. And then work with a new one. Quirk is the best candidate for the office he is running for. After this present term he should leave or be voted out.
March 27th, 2012 at 11:02 pm
Ms. Blair;
The rate of residivism at end of first year of release is generally accepted as being 40% and AT end of 5th year use the number 50% … some studies suggest that 65% TO 70% EVENTUALLY REPEAT A CRIME WHICH PUTS ‘EM BACK IN THE CLINK.
aS A 17 YEAR OLD i FOUND A BETTER SUMMER JOB WHICH PAID BETTER MONEY AS WELL AS THE FACT THAT ROOM BOARD AND LAUNDRY SERVICE WAS INCLUDED…. IT ALSO ASSURED THAT i EARNED OVER TIME PAY AT RATE OF 1.5 X HORLY RATE AND SIMNJCE IT WAS ON A SHIP P-LYING BACK AND FORTH BWETWEEN cALIFORNIA AND hONOLULU, THT sATURDAYS AND Sundays at Sea were at ti,me and a half while work perforkmed while at California port was double time. That work was abord the KMJatson Liner ‘Lurline’ and I was 6taken into protection from homosexuals by the black crew members who aqlso worked in the food pantries and galley…. living among the Black guys was an experience workedwhich I enjoyed since they protected me from the,many homosexuals working on the ‘queerline’ as the ship was known along the waterf5r4ont…. hell I was just 17 AND NOT TOO ‘STREET SMART’ BUT THE BLACK GUYS EDUCATED ME TO THE REAL WORLD CONDITYIONS WHILE PROVIDING PROTECTION …. i WAS THE ONLY WHITE GUY IN THE SELF SEGREGATED BLACK SLEEPING QUARTERS…. AND IT WAS AN EDUCATONAL EXPERIENCE THAT STOOD ME WELL IN A JESUIT SCHOOL ELECUTION CLASSES WHERE ABOUT TWO OR THREE PER REPORT CARD PERIOD…. i CHOSE TO RELATE SOME OF THE STORIES I HAD HEARD, ABOUT HOW bLACK FOLKS CONTENDED WITH HOUSING AND EMPLOYMENT PROBLEMS WHICH about when they first arrived in the Bay area.mY GRADES IMPROVED IN THAT SITUATION… AND MY ATTIUDE SERVED ME WELL WHEN DRAFTED INTO THE Army later in life.
Yes it is derogatory! In that experience it was seen (heard) used to put down another….more often in a humorous way!
March 28th, 2012 at 7:16 am
Michael, I guess I am more of a futurist than you. What I am saying is that with an informed electorate, the vote counts more than the money that corrupts. That is what we the people have – the power to change the system. If we aren’t falling for how moneyed interests tell us to vote, we can elect candidates who have ethics and integrity. If we follow the issues, we can know when to throw them out of office and will know how to do it quickly. It is a systematic flaw. An informed citenzenry is the solution. And if we can just learn to read,write and compute, the rest can be learned on the internet. It won’t be long now before we won’t even need to read and write to communicate online.
Your idea does nothing for changing the system. It would further remove citizens from having to use their critical thinking to discriminate between those with integrity and those who are good with propaganda. We could lose the ability to know the difference.
Look at how people are letting themselves be manipulated into believing stupid stuff about national candidates! As long as that happens, we cannot trust our fellow citizens to be the citizens that are required to have a democracy.
John – yours is an interesting story. That’s what we were talking about when we said you needed to get that down for the historical record! Someone should just copy and paste the stories you’ve put on this blog for posterity.
Times have changed a lot since those days. I had an uncle who was in the merchant Marines and he had great stories I enjoyed even as a child.
March 28th, 2012 at 10:01 am
Mr. Moore;
Kurhi has possession of thwe color coded map I sent him for your benefit.
That map shades the zip code areas for each zip in the county….. color shading indicates approximate density,Place of residence) of parollees and probationers existent as of mid year 2010
It gives strong indication of the treason why ABAG sued Pleasanton for failing to meet goals for low income housing distributionj….. and why as a result of Pleasanton’s failure to ‘go along’, their loss of ADA money due to truancy is quite minimal.
One would thoink that the teachers union, with it’s problems over salaries in Hayward, would bring pressure upon their state organuization for a better method of distributing ADA money….. as between Hayward or Oakland against Pleasanton.
Frankly, I believe the best way to effect change in the disparity of distribution of ADA money aas between Pleasanton and Hayward/Oakland is to excercise the ‘cure’ available in SB 1317 ! If that is controversial then the resultant uproar would effect the needed change!
April 25th, 2012 at 2:36 pm
i won’t say i’ll never vote for an incumbent, but in this year’s council election i feel it’s time for a change.
hayward has a reputation as being unfriendly to business and merchants. i’ll go further than that. hayward is unfriendly to local developers, it’s own residents, it’s own youth, and UC students.
i blame the incumbents.