September 2000 editor: Larry Ames

~ Wed., October 11th, 7PM ~

Come meet the candidates for San Jose City Council District 6 (the northern two-thirds of Willow Glen, currently represented by the retiring Frank Fiscalini). Listen to the presentations of Kris Cunningham and Ken Yeager. Ask questions. Learn about their positions.

Also, representatives from various other campaigns and initiatives will be on hand to distribute literature, discuss the issues, and (hopefully) answer all of your questions.

This is also an excellent opportunity to meet your neighbors.

The end of year 2000 will also mark the end of the second and last term for Frank Fiscalini, council member for District 6. During Council member Fiscalini's 8 years in office, he provided answers and solutions to the needs of thousands of District 6 and San Jose residents. Maintaining the quality of life needs of neighborhoods has always been a priority for Council member Fiscalini. He acted on this commitment in recent times when he provided the leadership for passing the residential design review ordinance to protect residents from oversized homes. Council member Fiscalini also stood with the neighborhoods enforcing San Jose's 24-Hour Policy, which restricted after midnight nightclubs in downtown Willow Glen. His foresight, insight and hard work have maintained Willow Glen as a great place to raise kids, visit friends, work and live.

WGNA extends its heartfelt appreciation to Council member Fiscalini for his dedication and commitment to improving the quality of life of our neighborhoods.

In the fall, District 6 voters will elect a new council member to replace outgoing Council member Frank Fiscalini who is leaving due to term limits. Because of our non-profit status, WGNA does not endorse candidates. However, we will host a candidates forum on October 11 (see above) where both candidates, Kris Cunningham and Ken Yeager, will attend and answer questions from the public. Please join us.

But what can a voter do to see beyond the rhetoric of a campaign and vote for the best candidate to protect their interests? How can a voter assess what a declared candidate will do once they have been elected? Will they support your interests or create sweetheart deals for special interests. Is it simply a fifty/fifty proposition? Sometimes you vote for good candidates and sometimes you don't. Well maybe. However, there are some important things a voter can do to help direct their vote in the direction of the right candidate. Here are my two cents for analyzing candidates at all levels.

Although important, don't just listen to what they say. All candidates want to get elected so they will say you want to hear. In my view, even more important than their comments is an evaluation of "who" a given candidate is. Research their background. What are the personal experiences, employment, education, organizations, volunteer work that has shaped their value system. After all, it is that value system that will be tested by special interests who will tempt them while you're at work trying to support your family and pay your taxes. Will that candidate's value system support you or cave in?

Another important point is to determine if a candidate has a record of leadership on issues important to you. Where have they been? Has the candidate actually been out there supporting important community proposals or have they just jumped onto the bandwagon of perceived popular issues in order to be elected. Have they been at the hearings and meetings providing support to crucial issues? Should you vote for someone who is just willing to parrot off issues important to you? Look for a record of involvement that started long before they decided to run for office.

Lastly, look at a candidate's major endorsements and donations carefully. Generally a candidate is their endorsements. Look at the endorsements. Who are these organizations and individuals? What will they be looking for once the election is over? Are they trying to hijack your elected official for some other purpose? Do they reflect your views on things or are they too narrow, broad or special interest? If the list represents you, then you'll have no problem with the decisions they will pitch to your elected official. But if you don't like the positions they have taken, then you may want to also look at the other candidate.

WGNA's bylaws state that the "purpose of this Association shall be to represent its members on issues of neighborhood enhancement and preservation." In general, WGNA wants elected officials who will consistently support this purpose not only at election time, but also in between elections when it really counts.

You can't complain if you don't vote, and you can't vote if you don't register! The last day to register is October 10th, the day before the WGNA meeting, so don't wait to do it then! You can pick up registration forms at the library or post office, or download a form from the WGNA.net website.

There are quite a number of items on the ballot this fall. In addition to the candidates for the various offices and the numbered state initiatives, there are a number of "lettered" local matters. (There's also something about BART somewhere on the ballot...) For your edification, here's information from various sources on some of them:

Measure B is the "Clean, Safe Creeks and Natural Flood Protection" question:

The assessment is $39/year for a residential parcel, it expires in 15 years, and it replaces previous assessments that have recently expired. What are new are the second and third items in the to-do list: the SCVWD is more environmentally aware and willing to partner with cities and counties on recreational trails. According to the press release, the measure includes these points:

• Protect endangered species, and restore natural conditions along creek corridors by creating healthy ecosystems for fish, plants, and wildlife in creeks and bays.
• Provide for increased amounts of trails, parks and open space in the Santa Clara Valley.

[Editor's note: I'd heard that our Los Gatos Creek "Urban Stream Restoration Project" of a few years back had had an impact on the thinking at the water district. Looks like that might be true!]

Measure K is a ballot initiative to reaffirm and reinforce San Jose's "Greenline Urban Growth Boundary". The boundary is an existing city policy that restricts development by drawing a line around the city that marks the permanent edge of urban development. Lands inside the greenline are for urban uses such as housing and jobs, while lands outside are to remain non-urban (open space, parks, farmland, etc.). This is intended to limit urban sprawl and to encourage in-fill.

The current policy was adopted by the City Council, and it could be overridden at any time by a vote of this or a future City Council. Measure K makes the line firmer, requiring a vote of the electorate to change the line or allow development outside it.

The City of San Jose has two bond initiatives on the November ballot in order to improve our overburdened neighborhood libraries and parks. Measure O is for Libraries, Measure P for Parks and Recreation.

The libraries have run out of shelf space: for every new book added, an old volume must be removed to make space. The bond will be used to build 6 new branch libraries and double the size of 17 existing branches. This expansion will triple the number of seats and computers at each branch, double the number of parking spaces and improve many other amenities. Measure O will provide approximately $212 million to pay for land, construction and related costs.

The parks, recreation facilities and community centers in San Jose also have not been kept up with the past 30 years of growth. The funds from Measure P will renovate play structures in 90 neighborhood parks and rest rooms in 28 parks, add 164,000 square feet of new space and renovations at many of the 26 community and senior centers, and add a lighted eight-field softball complex and a lighted six-field soccer complex. This will also enhance trails in 5 parks throughout the city and improve Happy Hollow and Rose Garden Regional Parks. Measure P will provide approximately $228 million to pay for land, construction and related costs.

The City of San Jose currently carries no bonded debt. These two measures will be paid off over 30 years. These bonds will result in an annual property tax assessment of approximately of $18.22 per $100,000 of appraised value for Measure O, and $19.60 per $100k for Measure P. The bonds have annual audits and a citizens oversight committee.

Note that Measure P follows from the "Strategic Planning Process" undertaken the past two years that sought community input as to what was wanted from the city parks. (Remember the presentation at WGNA's last Fall General Meeting?)

This is the first newsletter since our May election. The results have been posted on the WGNA.net website and reported by the media, but, for the record, here is the new WGNA Board:

President: J. Michael Gonzales

1st VP: John Gibbs; 2nd VP: Helen Solinski

Treasurer: Lynn Repetsky; Secretary: Cathy Marshall

Elected Board: Sharon Fierro, Margaret Hardy, Vern Ladd, and Lupe O'Malley.

In addition, as per the bylaws, the President is to appoint two to four members to the Board: J. Michael has appointed Larry Ames and Jim Gardner.

On the advisory vote for what should be in the newsletter, it was virtually a three-way tie between "Old Willow Glen" (history of the area), "What's Happ'nin'?" (reports from local officials), and "What's New on the Avenue?" (business district shorts). We'll try to include at least one of those in each upcoming newsletter. (And, for those who are interested in gardening tips, feel free to send your questions to garden@wgna.net.)

The eList (WGNA's free electronic "town crier" bulletin board service) continues to serve the neighborhood, as illustrated by the following recent exchange. If you would like to join, drop an email to admin@wgna.net with "join eList" in the subject line. (If you would rather receive a single posting per day rather than an "as it happens" post, write "digest eList" in the subject line.)

[Editor's note: there is also a new group forming in San Jose, "Walk San Jose", that promotes "traffic calming" for safe walkable communities. WGNA has a couple representatives that attend their meetings, and you are invited to join as well: for more information, check out their website at www.walksanjose.org.]

We have just revised and reprinted the booklet,

Historical Guide to the Homes of Willow Glen

The following is an extract. Note that the more things change, the more they remain the same: that real-estate agent sounds so "today"!

n the 1920's, what is now the Willow Glen district of San Jose was the unincorporated Willow Glen district of Santa Clara County. It was an agricultural area with scattered homes and a few new housing tracts. Residents considered themselves San Joseans, even though they were outside the city limits.

San Jose was a rapidly growing city. The Palm Haven district had been annexed by San Jose in 1922, and Willow Glen was next in line. However, the city also had plans to build a new railroad line to the south, and they wanted to use an old abandoned alignment that went right through the heart of Willow Glen. Not wanting their neighborhood split in half, residents went off and founded Willow Glen to keep the railroad out. "Let's keep the railroad out of our bedroom!" The boundaries of Willow Glen were set by the election results: those precincts where a majority voted to join became part of the City. (The precinct including Lester Ave. and the eastern end of Glen Eyrie did not join Willow Glen, and remained unincorporated county until 1950. Note that, even to this day, they have a different street numbering system, counting from Lincoln Avenue rather than First and Santa Clara like the rest of the city.)

[In 1927, the] Western Pacific Rail Road line ran through town then, as it still does today, crossing Coe, Willow at Bird, Minnesota, and thence out to the east. In addition, there was the San Jose Railroad running the length of the city down the middle of Willow Street, with a branch line down Lincoln to Minnesota. Much of the City was filled with large lots, orchards, and fields, but there were a number of suburban tracts: Willow Glen Way, Nevada Avenue, Cherry and Glenn Avenues, and a cluster of housing around Lincoln at Minnesota.

In describing the demand for lots and homes in Willow Glen at the time, Mr. A. Moore, a sales supervisor for a housing subdivision, was quite enthusiastic. "People are continually asking for suburban locations where their surroundings will be all new improvements. Distance from town did not seem to make any difference now that most families have automobiles and bus and streetcar transportation is available." And then he went on, commenting on the fact that the area is "much higher than San Jose": Lincoln at Pine is 60' higher than First and Santa Clara, and "consequently is above the fog belt". "Without a doubt, Willow Glen is the fast-growing residential section adjacent to the city of San Jose because of its ideal weather conditions, excellent shopping district and fine school facilities."

... After Willow Glen incorporated in 1927, a common gibe was "Now you have your city, what are you going to do with it?" In 1928, San Jose agreed to an alternative alignment for the railroad (where it remains, just east of Willow Glen, near the present alignment of Freeway 87). Some Willow Glen residents then wanted to disband their city immediately and merge with San Jose, while others remained skeptical of city plans and assurances and wanted to see steel in the ground before joining San Jose.

In 1929, the Willow Glen council proposed building a 100' wide boulevard down in the bottom of the old dry Los Gatos Creek channel from Willow Street south (in what is now the amphitheater of the Willow St./Bramhall Park). They also proposed widening and extending Willow Street, making it a major east-west thoroughfare. Residents were unhappy about that and petitioned for a "disincorporation" vote. The anti-widening group failed to get the required two-thirds vote, and Willow Street was widened in 1931.

Willow Glen continued as an independent city... The railroad was resolved: the tracks were laid around town. Other pressures developed: Willow Glen needed a high school, and it needed a sewer system. It would have been quite expensive to build either on their own, so they decided that it was finally time to do the inevitable and join San Jose. On Sept. 4, 1936, the residents of Willow Glen voted to disband their town and join their big neighbor to the north, and on Sept. 20, 1936, they officially became part of San Jose.

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The Historical Guide to the Homes of Willow Glen is available for $5 at the Fall General Meeting, or by mail (please include an extra $2 for postage and handling) from our website (www.wgna.net) or phone (408/294-WGNA). The booklet includes old maps and photos, histories, and several walking tours of the older streets in the city.

And, if you have an interesting story about the home you live in, the local street, or any other interesting historical tidbit that you'd be willing to share, please drop us a line! We hope to continue adding details to the book as they become available. Willow Glen is an area rich with history and community awareness, but oral traditions and memories fade over time. And if you'd like to help us at WGNA maintain a historical archive, please let us know!

I'm just back from the "15th National Trails Symposium", sponsored in part by the National Park Service. Roughly 500 trail advocates and planning professionals from around the nation met for several days to discuss a wide range of trail-related issues. On behalf of WGNA, I presented a paper entitled "A Successful Volunteer Trail and Urban Stream Restoration Project". I described how we, a (non-park-professional, non-governmental) local neighborhood association, managed to pull off a successful habitat restoration project along the Los Gatos Creek, and how we helped influence city policy (the city zoning for riparian corridors), regional funding (to build the trail), and even state law (we set a statewide precedent for "advanced mitigation"). The talk was well received, and I believe it will encourage others to undertake similar efforts. (An extract from the presentation is posted on the WGNA.net website.)

By the way: in response to a request for "letters of support" for a city grant application that was posted on the WGNA eList, many of you wrote to the appropriate state agency in support of the Los Gatos Creek Trail. Many Thanks! The contact person later said that she'd never before received so many letters on behalf of a single project! The City received the grant (and a couple others as well), and is well on its way to financing the last (and most expensive) segment of the trail, to extend it on to the Arena in downtown. The link under Interstate-280 should be built in about two years, connecting with several other neighborhoods and linking to another linear park and trail downtown along the Guadalupe River.

Longs Drugs: As reported in a recent Willow Glen Resident, not all issues have been settled to everyone's satisfaction, and the discussion continues. Longs Drugs have agreed to make a number of commitments and concessions: the latest version of which are posted on the WGNA.net website.

Willow Glen Beautification Project: Check out the patio at the Willow Glen branch of the library: there is a newly dedicated colorful tile floor, co-sponsored by the Friends of the Willow Glen Library, depicting rabbits from various children's books.

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