Dear Mayor Combs and members of the Menlo Park City Council:
If I am unable to attend the Nov 4th meeting, please read aloud the following comment:
2 minutes reading time:
Ten Good Reasons to Adopt the Save Downtown Plazas Ordinance.
1) Adoption of the Ordinance respects, and reflects, the will of the voters You Represent.
2) It resolves the "ill will" toward the Council Members, and settles the pending Lawsuit and Ballot Measure.
3) It saves the taxpayers the expense of litigation and election costs.
4) It effectively clears the cloud on the title, which requires a vote to alter the use of the parking lots.
5) It allow the City Council extra time to seek better/alternative locations for State Mandated Low Cost Housing.
6) It avoids the loss of use and disruption of the parking lots during at least 2 to 5 years of construction.
7) It prevents the loss of businesses who will move away if customer parking is disrupted.
8) It will prevent the loss of millions of Sale Tax income to the city, due to vacant stores and reduced sales.
9) It avoids the high risk, and absolute necessity, that the City MUST win BOTH the Lawsuit AND the Ballot Measure; in order to approve a Developer.
Note:
The mathematical/statistical probability that the city "loses" the Lawsuit or "loses" the Ballot Measure, or "loses" BOTH is 75%.
Versus:
The mathematical/statistical Probability that the city "Wins" both the Lawsuit AND the Ballot Measure is 25%.
This is a high risk gamble that 3 council members should NOT take; especially with tax payer money involved. It demands voter approval of the Ordinance!
10) The City does not have Authority to lease the $50 million dollar Parking Plazas to a private developer for $1/year for 50 years; Because: The voters have asserted (in a lawsuit) that they have a co-ownership of the Parking Plazas (a cloud on the title) that requires VOTER APPROVAL.
Please Do What Is Responsible and Reasonable; and Adopt the Ordinance.
Thank you,
Michael C. DeMoss, Attorney, Resident and Former Member of the Finance and Audit Commission of Menlo Park
