Page One

Thursday October 26, 2000

Measure R is  

a life saver 

 

Editor: 

As a senior citizen and one of many to whom the passage of measure R will be a life saver, I am writing you concerning the warm-water pool run by the City of Berkeley as part of the Berkeley Unified School District. 

This pool has served the community for over 20 years and is now badly in need of renovation. Due to a spinal condition I swim there several times a week. I find it the one most effective pain reliever I have experienced so far, and it is the only place where I can get the weightless exercise essential to my general health.  

Of the people who I see there and who share my experience there are many who have serious disabilities, many who are in wheel chairs, some who are elderly, some who are quite young, and some obviously in pain. All of them find relief and healing in the warm water of this pool. 

Measure R, if passed, will provide the needed money to save this pool, as neither the City nor the School District reportedly have the funds available to do this.  

I can only have implicit trust in the compassion and humanity of my fellow voters in their support of Measure R. We will be infinitely grateful.  

 

Augusta Lucas-Andreae 

Berkeley 

 

Measure R: warm water pool, a partnership 

 

Editor: 

I was so pleased when I learned that the Berkeley City Council has placed Measure R on the ballot for the November election. This is a wonderful opportunity to rescue and renovate an important community resource—the warm water swimming pool located at Berkeley High School. 

The warm water pool, a cooperative effort between the City of Berkeley and the Berkeley Unified School District, has offered programs to the public for more than twenty years. The pool is located on the Berkeley High School campus and maintained by the city. 

The pool is heated to 93 degrees, ideal for people who need warmth and a low-impact environment to be able to exercise. The pool is regularly used by senior citizens, and people of all ages who are physically disabled because of stroke, injury, cerebral palsy, other neurological conditions, or arthritis. For some, it has been an integral part of their lives for many years. For others, it is a means of recovery from shorter-term injuries or surgery. 

During my years on the Berkeley School Board, the Board received many letters and phone calls from community pool users and medical professionals urging us to preserve the warm water pool, rather than use the space for other purposes, as well as advising us of the need for renovations. I found their descriptions of the physical and emotional benefits of the warm water pool very compelling. One woman explained that the pool was the only place she could exist in the world without pain. Others told how the pool improved the quality of their lives and uplifted their spirits. I had never realized what a broad segment of the community benefited from the warm waters of the pool. 

A few years ago the School Board and Superintendent made a commitment, as part of the new Master Plan for Berkeley High School, to preserve the warm water pool’s place on the high school campus. However, neither the school district nor the city has the funds to pay for the substantial renovations the aged pool requires. Measure R would provide the approximately $3 million needed to save the pool, and cost the average taxpayer only $4 per year. 

I am sure most of us could think of relatives, friends or neighbors whose lives would be helped by swimming in the warm water pool. And those of us who do not need it now might need it someday! Please vote November 7th for Measure R. 

 

Miriam Topel 

Former Member, Berkeley School Board 1990-98 

 

Measure Y could cost you $4,500 

 

Editor: 

Homeowners beware! Measure “Y” applies to you - just as does Section 13 (Good Cause Required for Eviction) of Berkeley’s rent law, which it modifies (= tightens). 

Say you’re renting a room or an in-law suite to a student or other low-to-moderate income person. Under “Y” you would have to pay that person $4,500 “relocation expenses” if you wanted to reclaim the accommodations after a year for your own or your family’s use. Worse yet, if your tenant, regardless of age or disability status, had been there for at least five years, he/she would have gained a lifetime estate, and you’d have to pay even more to dislodge him/her or hire a lawyer and go to court -whichever cost less - in order to regain full possession of your home. Not to speak of the nightmarish scenario which could arise, were you to leave for a year (Sabbatical?) and rent out your home while you’re away. 

Read the proposed measure in all its details (2 and 1/4 full pages in your voter information pamphlet!). It applies to you! Vote NO on “Y”. 

 

Peggy Schioler 

Candidate for the Rent Stabilization Board 

 

Measure Y opens the door to discrimination 

 

Editor: 

How refreshing to see such honesty come from Berkeley Property Owner Association President Robert Cabrera when he states that Measure Y will “grease the skids for discrimination.” 

Is Mr. Cabrera actually saying that by passing legislation protecting certain vulnerable classes of our population (elderly and the disabled) from certain types of evictions that his landlord constituency will then discriminate by not renting to these people? 

And that, in essence, Measure Y should thus be defeated? Following this rationale all Civil Rights legislation passed since the Civil War and all legislation which protects any vulnerable group from discrimination should thus be repealed since the argument is the same. Why hire a woman, a senior, an ethnic minority or a disabled person, since they have legal protection from discrimination? I simply won’t hire them.  

How refreshing indeed to see the President of the Property Owner’s Association reveal true colors when it comes to their sincerity and compassion towards Berkeley renters.  

 

Matthew Siegel 

candidate for Rent Board 

 

 

 

Olson takes campaign to cyberspace 

The Daily Planet received this press release from Carrie Olson’s District 5 City Council campaign: 

Berkeley City Council candidate Carrie Olson is taking her campaign to the Internet, by launching an online discussion forum to address the issue of growth in California’s 3rd densest city. Landmark Commissioner Olson, who operates MoveOn.org, a national citizens action website, has created a unique on-line venue she calls an ActionForum. This award winning venue is effectively an electronic town hall, using a reader rating system to give every citizen’s comment a chance to rise to the top. ActionForum.com was also used by the Berkeley for citizen discussion of the city’s controversial General Plan draft and by MoveOn.org for their National Goals forum. 

“By engaging citizens in online discussion,” said candidate Carrie Olson, “I’m working to focus the election on important issues facing the city, like the stunning growth anticipated for this already dense town, and away from political-machine partisanship.” 

Citizens using ActionForum are able to join in a dialogue over the Internet with their fellow citizens, where all participants in the forum have the opportunity to be heard and where the highest rated comments rise to the top. ActionForum participants not only rank comments, they also indicate if they agree with the comment. A tally is automatically kept. Citizens can easily change their mind and the tallies are automatically updated. 

Go to: http://www.actionforum.org/national/carrie.html 

 

 

Rodefer touts  

health reform 

The Daily Planet received this press release from Benjamin Rodefer’s Distric 5 council campaign.  

Benjamin Rodefer announced today the details of his “Berkeley Care” program, a plan that would offer health insurance to every resident of Berkeley.  

“The goal of Berkeley Care” Rodefer says, “is to address the great disparity in health care coverage among our diverse resident population. The long term hope is that we will be able to divert existing health care funding earmarked for city health services, as well as other County, State, Federal and private funds to augment Berkeley Care and thereby lower enrollee costs. Eventually we hope to be providing universal health care to every resident of Berkeley, and in the process providing National leadership on this crucial issue.” 

How “Berkeley Care” works: 

• The City of Berkeley creates a citywide pool, consisting of both uninsured residents and currently insured residents wishing alternative coverage. 

• The City seeks bids from HMO’s to cover the pool. The higher the city’s enrollment percentage, the lower the insurer’s risk, and hence the lower the corresponding rates. The contract would have a tiered rate structure. 

•. There would be two premium rates: standard and low income. City residents would work directly with the HMO to establish their residency and income status.  

4. The HMO contract would stipulate that a small monthly fee, based on total enrollment for that period, be returned to the city as contribution towards City’s costs. 

5. The City of Berkeley would actively pursue further funding options for Berkeley Care. 

For more information contact Benjamin Rodefer at 510-525-9263 

Or CityCouncil@HipNow.com 

Editor: 

How refreshing to see such honesty come from Berkeley Property Owner Association President Robert Cabrera when he states that Measure Y will “grease the skids for discrimination.” 

Is Mr. Cabrera actually saying that by passing legislation protecting certain vulnerable classes of our population (elderly and the disabled) from certain types of evictions that his landlord constituency will then discriminate by not renting to these people? 

And that, in essence, Measure Y should thus be defeated? Following this rationale all Civil Rights legislation passed since the Civil War and all legislation which protects any vulnerable group from discrimination should thus be repealed since the argument is the same. Why hire a woman, a senior, an ethnic minority or a disabled person, since they have legal protection from discrimination? I simply won’t hire them.  

How refreshing indeed to see the President of the Property Owner’s Association reveal true colors when it comes to their sincerity and compassion towards Berkeley renters.  

 

Matthew Siegel 

candidate for Rent Board 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Subject:  

AC Transit Needs Transition 

Date:  

Wed, 25 Oct 2000 20:33:16 EDT 

From:  

Robehelen@aol.com 

To:  

opinion@berkeleydailyplanet.com 

 

 

 

 

“Bus” -- a huge, noisy, polluting vehicle that runs in a static state with  

disregard to neighborhoods, traffic lights, environment, bicycles,  

pedestrians and passengers. After commute hours, buses can be see on  

Telegraph, Shattuck and College Ave., at times, two and three bumper to  

bumper with the front bus transporting all the passengers and the other two  

empty. In the late evening hours on College Ave., it is not uncommon to see  

these monstrosities running pass midnight with one or two passengers. Not  

only does this produce unnecessary traffic, noise, pollution and consumption  

of petroleum products, but it serves as a stage for the ineffective and  

uncreative AC Transit management. It is disturbing that AC Transit does not  

employ an Analyst to research and report recommendations. Can it be so  

difficult to replace these inefficient monstrosities with small economical  

vans to serve the one or two passengers after commute hours? This would  

provide more street for bicycles to pass, less pollution, less noise,  

conservation of petroleum products and it will cut costs for AC Transit not  

only for bus purchases, but for fuel and maintenance.  

 

Robert Radford 

Berkeley  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Editor: 

To often, Berkeley “Activist” groups work separately or take different approaches to solve the same problem. Your article about the southwest Berkeley neighborhoods opposition to a new fast food complex at 1200 Ashby Ave. appeared above an article stating that southwest Berkeley residents have a life expectancy of 20 years less than those residents in the Berkeley hills. 

There is a major connection here between these two groups of activists and they should be working to help each other. Those residents in southwest Berkeley ( read African American) die at a younger age not only because of a lack of healthcare but because of poor eating habits. A recent study on health showed that black youth get 40 percent of their daily vegetable intake from french fries. An article about the free lunch program in Oakland High schools revealed that very few of those elegible took part but instead bought fast food.  

Obesity among all Americans has increased more than 60 percent since 1990. There is more of a health crisis than a health care crisis.Those who want healthcare for everyone should think in terms of wanting a healthy life for everyone. Help people to enjoy their lives by improving their quality of life not just prolonging it. Berkeley is proud of the fact that it promotes the use of bycyles and not the automobile. It is time for Berkeley to promote healthy lifestyles and ban fast food.  

Caring about health is as important as caring about healthcare. 

 

Michael Larrick  

(510) 849-4572 

 

Editor: 

Hello, my name is Kinchasa Taylor and I am and have been a resident of Carrison Street for the past 23 years. I am upset by the article written about the block and how the people who live on the block are represented. 

I believe that the opinions in opposition to the plans to build a fast-food restaurant and mini mart are valid and I would agree with them. 

What I do not agree with is the way my new neighbors portrayed Carrison Street as a “street overrun with drug dealers and prostitutes.” I’d like to point out that Vicki and Mike Larrick have not lived on Carrison Street for eight year as stated. Drug dealers and prostitution has never been a problem on Carrison Street. 

Until they moved in, this street was filled by senior citizens. 

Actually the house in which they live was owned by a senior citizen until her death. They moved in her house maybe 4-5 years after she died. 

I know this because up until they moved in I watered the grass. I believe that my anger is mostly directed at this couple because of their portrayal of themselves as saviors to the community. 

The community expects people who move into the neighborhood to show respect for those that have lived here before and have raised successful families. It saddens me that we have lost our predominantly African American neighbors. 

But as people move in to clean up the neighborhood they must keep in mind that are new that they are joining the group that was already established and attempting to make a change themselves. 

It is really sad to see that my neighborhood is being represented as a bad black neighborhood until it was saved by it’s new white residents. Some of the arrivals of the migration to South Berkeley, do not respect the people, the community, or the residents they have joined with. 

Our land, our efforts, our homes are being taken over by people that have only one thing on there mind: how can I live here and make it the way I want it to be, not how can I become a part of this community and help with the efforts being made.  

If you want to write something about the community, write about the gentrification, genocide, and mentacide occurring in south Berkeley. It’s real and it’s occurring. 

If you don’t believe me ask my old neighbors, senior citizens with historically fixed rents, uniformed of there rights and Measure Y, why they had to move out there homes, and move after over 25 years of occupation.  

Kinchasa Taylor, 

Berkeley