Category Archives: Sunnyvale City Council

Influence of Developers and Special Interests-SUNNYVALE City Council Election 2018-WHO TO VOTE FOR?


Courtesy Holly Lofgren

SUNNYVALE CITY COUNCIL

There is no doubt, Sunnyvale has been tremendously influenced by developers and special interests. It is VERY IMPORTANT to elect grassroots candidates who will listen and work for residents. All three recommended candidates have been long time residents of Sunnyvale and have extensive experience serving in different capacities and are supported by individuals who overwhelmingly live in Sunnyvale.

For information regarding campaign spending, please see these informative links:
Part 4 Follow The Money (10/30/18)

http://www.sunnyvalepubliclandsact.com

  1. Video: Part 4: Follow The Money video plus Eric Krock’s related comments (duration: 5 min 30 sec)
  2. Presentation: Part 4 – Follow The Money slides (PDF)
  3. Funding Summary: 2018 Council Election Funding summary sheet (PDF)  (PNG)
  4. Score Card: 2018 Council Candidate Score Card (PDF)  (PNG)

For information regarding the candidates qualifications, positions and activities, please see these websites of the Sunnyvale City Council Candidates I endorse:

Additionally, the Sunnyvale Sun published an Op Ed from both myself and Andy Frazer outlining why candidate Mason Fong is unsuitable for this public office, dated October 26, 2018.

Opinion Letters to the Mercury News_Mason Fong sent out campaign fliers with false endorsements

Opinion Letters to the Mercury News_Mason Fong sent out campaign fliers with false endorsements

 

Holly Lofgren
Sunnyvale resident

SEAT 2 VOTE JOSH GROSSMAN for Sunnyvale City Council


PLEASE make your voice heard and VOTE for JOSH GROSSMAN on Nov. 6th.

Josh Grossman is a Technology Executive and Attorney looking for Innovative solutions for tough problems such as Sunnyvale traffic, balanced growth, reducing Airplane noise, and protecting mobile home parks. Most importantly, Josh has not accepted donations from Political Action Committee PACs or Developers. Why is this important? PACs are political committees organized for the purpose of raising and spending money to elect and defeat candidates. Most PACs represent business, labor or ideological interests. Josh promises to make independent decisions on behalf of, and for Sunnyvale Residents.

VISIT:  https://www.josh4council.com/ Continue reading

Sunnyvale Council Members air out differences, but little agreement on meeting protocol


By Alia Wilson

“First of all, the mayor is chosen by him voting for himself and three other people; there’s no magic sanctity or wisdom imparted through that mechanism,” Pat Meyering said. “The statement that no one is given authority except by the majority is completely false and inconsistent with a couple hundred years of American democracy,” Meyering added.

Pat Meyering cited one occasion where a council member made a motion to cut off debate, thus cutting off Meyering, and the motion was immediately seconded and unanimously approved. “These vague phrases of having a smooth meeting don’t give anybody the right, even if it’s a 6-1 vote, to cut off the minority,” Meyering said. “This is a bizarre discussion where we’re talking about the majority can do this, the majority can do that. The majority is limited.”

CLICK HERE for the full San Jose Mercury News article.

Sunnyvale Mayor Spitaleri disrupts Council Member Pat Meyering during Public Hearing


If you only have time to watch one video, click on this one titled “Crazy Sunnyvale Meeting” – the dysfunction begins at minute 1:10:

Mayor Spitaleri continuously shouts at Council Member Council Member Pat Meyering in a combative, rapid-fire manner, shutting Meyering down from further comments and questions, on behalf of Sunnyvale residents, during the May 22, 2012 Sunnyvale Council Meeting.

Spitaleri’s uncivil manner was apparently found to be out-of-compliance, because, after he demanded a 10-minute recess and conferred with City Manager Gary Luebbers, Spitaleri returned to state that Meyering was, indeed, entitled to a 3-minute speech.

CLICK HERE for the article titled Sunnyvale Mayor Spitaleri Opposes Free Speech and Disrupts Council Meeting.

 

Pensions: San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed’s state ballot measure opposed by 19 mayors including Mayor Tony Spitaleri


By Mike Rosenberg

mrosenberg@mercurynews.com

After announcing a 2014 statewide pension ballot initiative with fellow mayors from around California, San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed has run into some opposition — from other mayors.

Nineteen mayors — along with two vice mayors, two county board of supervisors presidents and five additional council members — signed a letter to Reed on Tuesday urging him to abandon his effort that would see public employees pay more for their retirement.

CLICK HERE for the San Jose Mercury News article.

 

Sunnyvale Candidate Jim Griffith accused of identify theft_ Campaign Domain


Oct 8, 2013 – Sunnyvale Resident Michael Goldman addressed the City Council regarding Candidate and Vice-Mayor Jim Griffith’s alleged illegal cybersquatting domain registration falsifying his opponent’s Tap Merrick’s identity in an attempt to mislead and defraud voters. Goldman lists a series of violations including Political Cybersquatting, CA’s Political Cyberfraud Abatement Act PCAA (cause a person to believe that a political website has been posted by a person other than a person who posted the website), CA Business and Professions code, and more.

Get involved to interview the next City of Sunnyvale City Manager deadline


CLICK HERE for the application to apply today serve on the interview panel for the next Sunnyvale City Manager December 13, 2013.

The applications are due by 5 p.m. on November 12, 2013.

Since Business and Development Panelist are part of the process, Resident and Neighborhood Association Panelist’s are encouraged to apply.  Continue reading

Video_City of Sunnyvale Council Candidate September Forum


Thank you Michael Goldman, of Cal Pensions in Brief,  who published a page with 9 videos of the City Council Candidates from the Sept 30, 2013 COOL Candidate forum:

  1. Seat 1: ANDY FRAZER, Software Engineer and GUSTAV LARSSON, Software Engineer
  2. Seat 2: STEVE HOFFMAN, Chief Executive Officer and GLENN HENDRICKS, Senior Engineering Manager and GUSTAVO MAGAÑA, Law School Student
  3. JIM GRIFFITH, Engineer/Sunnyvale and Councilmember TAP MERRICK, Investment Adviser Representative

CLICK HERE for the video link.

Outcries from Sunnyvale residents regarding “stack and pack” developments and “urban canyons”


Deborah Marks compelling presentation during the Aug 13, 2013 City of Sunnyvale Council Meeting highlights  visuals of the recently Sunnyvale approved and built projects coined “stack and pack” high density residential and commercial buildings appearing like “urban canyons.”

Deborah also relays negative comments made by the Palo Alto Daily and the Mountain View Voice with outcries from residents regarding the “black wall” canopy of the towering LinkedIn Building and wants to know when will the urban forest management plan come before the council.

Councilmember Pat Meyering asks City Manager Gary Leubbers how he determined that there would be no visual impacts from the LinkedIn Building to the neighboring homes.

It’s time for a change.

Gustav Larsson was a “NO SHOW,” not a broker for PAMF compromise


The San Jose Mercury Editorial dated Sept 27, 2013 is falsely stating that “Gustav Larsson calmed residents and brokered a compromise with the city over the PAMF expansion.”

Brokered a compromise? The truth is that Gustav Larssondropped out” of the Sunnyvale Palo Alto Medical Foundation PAMF residential advocacy mid-process, in fact, he was a “NO SHOW” at the Sunnyvale Planning Commission Hearing just a few weeks prior to the Council vote – when each voice and issue mattered!

If Gustav had brokered a deal, wouldn’t it make sense that the Sunnyvale Sun would have interviewed him instead of Jeff Jones? CLICK HERE for the dropbox link to the Sunnyvale Sun interview with Jeff Jones for an article, dated April 29, 2009, regarding the PAMF Sunnyvale Heritage Neighborhood project revision.  Continue reading