I came tonight to thank all the planning commissioners for
their service. Though we may not always agree, I fully appreciate the time you
dedicate to our city.
However, I am here in particularly to praise the three
commissioners who voted against accepting the offer to rezone the Bridgepointe rink.
I honestly don’t believe SPI would have issued its reversal without your firm stance.
Sue Lempert called you heroes, and I believe she was right.
Faith in government is low right now in no small part to the
belief that our representatives are not standing up for citizen’s rights and
dignity when they are challenged by corporate entities. United Airlines
recently provided us with a visual of what this sort of bullying can entail.
In February, I spoke against supporting the Bridgepointe package
both from an ethical perspective and due to the fact allowing a buyout from the
General Plan sets a bad precedent. I still think these are the most important
reasons to have denied the rezoning. But even considering the matter from a
purely monetary perspective, the numbers didn’t add up. A new rink would have
cost upwards of 20 million not including the land. 8 million, the price of the
sellout, was a small portion of the replacement cost.
Diane, Charlie, John – Thank you for not voting for less
than we deserved. You told SPI to go back and bring San Mateo a better offer –
and they did. Bravo…I am most grateful.
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