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Published on 11/20/1995 All articles from this issue

Los Altos mayor spars with resident over political ethics

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By Joanne Griffith Domingue / Town Crier Staff Writer

Sparks flew at last week's Los Altos City Council meeting when the mayor and a concerned resident engaged in often fierce debate over political ethics, and the mayor's perceived rudeness prompted protests among residents and fellow council members.

Mayor Bob Gray and resident Ruth Polata both indicated last Thursday that they had begun to iron out their differences and that an announcement would be made at Tuesday's council meeting (results unavailable at press time). But last week's confrontation underlined the bitterness between two distinctly different political groups that have been active in the city for years.

Referring to Gray's Oct. 31 letter to the editor in the San Jose Mercury News, Polata challenged Gray's authority to send a letter from the mayor without council review and questioned the contents of the letter.

"It is an abuse of power," Polata said, and "a breach of ethics to misrepresent any situation."

Gray said he wrote the letter to correct an editorial in the Mercury News Oct. 26. Gray wrote in his letter that when he was elected in 1993 the affordable housing issue in Los Altos was in a "shambles," and that "it was hamstrung by two lawsuits."

Los Altos now has state approval for its housing plan. Gray, in his letter, gave credit to city council candidates Lou Becker, Bob Norton and Jan Dobson for participating in "all of the community discussions " for the acceptable plan.

"Excuse me while I take time out to roll on the floor with laughter," said Polata, a long-time housing activist.

Gray interrupted Polata.

"Would you demonstrate that please?" Gray asked.

Polata stopped reading her remarks. She stared at Gray.

"Please hold your comments until I finish," Polata said.

"Yes, mother," Gray said.

When Polata had finished, Gray waved a copy of Polata's letter, which she had sent to him Oct. 31.

"I had hoped you would make some overture to retract this obnoxious letter," Gray said. "I'd be embarrassed to read that."

"No way, sir," Polata said.

"I've had my share of public abuse," Gray said.

After Gray received Polata's letter he called her. According to Polata, he told her that if she didn't read the letter at the Nov. 14 council meeting, he would.

Then Gray said, according to Polata, "I warn you I will have no mercy on you."

"That is exactly what I said," Gray said at the council meeting. "Everything is the truth and factual."

Polata asked council members, "How can an ordinary person feel they could bring their concerns to the council when they are threatened?"

Bruno said to Gray, "I would hope you, or any council member, would not make remarks that would be perceived as threatening to the constituency."

Later in the meeting, Gray denied that he had said anything threatening to Polata.

Gray told Polata that city attorney Bob Booth reviewed the letter to the Mercury before Gray sent it. Booth wrote to Gray, it looks "legally OK to me. Any citizen can write a letter."

Councilwoman Marge Bruno said to Gray, "The first time I saw your letter was when I was reading the Mercury News. I didn't see the letter until it was a fait accompli."

Gray moved on to the next council item and said of Polata's remarks, "So much for that little debacle."

In the days following the council meeting, community members have expressed horror that a resident could be treated rudely by an elected official.

"Calling her 'mother.' That was so disrespectful and demeaning," Bruno said. "I just could have died. The council holds all the cards. It's taking advantage of that. It is absolutely unbecoming for a public official to treat people that way."

Gray defends his use of "mother." "We used that (phrase) all the time where I came from," he said.

"I was greatly offended by (Polata's) that letter," Gray said. But he insists he did not threaten her. "I did not say that."

Gray said his letter to the Mercury News was "not representing the council. That was written with my heading, my home address."

But it was in the paper signed, "Bob Gray, Mayor, Los Altos."

Councilwoman Patti Williams said she thought "we (the council) had an agreement he (Gray) would not send out official mail as mayor without council first reviewing it."

Councilman Ted Laliotis said he wasn't sure when he first saw the letter, "if before, or at the same time. But I did see it before it was in the Merc," he said in a Nov. 15 interview.

"I didn't see anything wrong even if I did see it before it went," Laliotis said. "It is the Mayor's job to stand up and correct inaccuracies in reporting."

Los Altos city clerk Carol Scharz , who puts correspondence into packets for council members, said "When I got it (Gray's letter), it had already been in the Merc."

"He told me it had already been sent ...There was no request that it be reviewed before it was sent," Scharz said.

The city council has no rules about the use of city letterhead by council members or the mayor, Booth said.

Gray indicated a willingness to "bury the hatchet" among opponents, he said.

"Enough of this (allegations) has gone on. Let's knock it off."

Williams said the rift between Polata and Gray reflected conflicts that have gone on over the years between the Los Altos Homeowners League and some of the more progressive city leaders. Gray has remained close ties to the Homeowners League, which was instrumental in overturning the city's inclusionary zoning ordinance through Measure G in 1993. Gray rode a wave a opposition against the ordinance, an attempt to establish affordable housing guidelines, and was elected to the council that year by an overwhelming majority.

Bruce Barton, editor of the Town Crier, contributed to this article.