Thank you to the voters of Los Altos for supporting Measure E in the recent election!
Over 70 percent of local voters supported our bond measure to repair, renovate and refurbish facilities on the Foothill and De Anza campuses.
As president of the board of trustees, I am honored by the support the community has provided to our colleges, both in this election and over the years. On behalf of the board, management, faculty and staff, I pledge that we will work hard to see that the trust you have shown will be rewarded with careful investment which directly benefits students.
This community has shown once again that education is important, and worth investing in. The funds raised by Measure E will be of immense importance as we meet the needs of local students and the entire community. With your support, Foothill-De Anza will be able to upgrade our computer networks and improve the quality of instruction. We will also have the resources to repair aging electrical systems, plumbing and roofing.
Thank you again for supporting the work of our great colleges.
Dolly Sandoval, PresidentFoothill-DeAnza Community College Board of Trustees
Old guard misinterpreted wife's sentiments
My wife (the now infamous Vilma Sinclair) was stunned by the sentiments aroused by her Oct. 6 letter regarding the whining in town. Politely disagree perhaps, but compare her to Hitler or Stalin? Really!
Especially if one considers Ms. Sinclair's background. Unlike most residents of Los Altos, Ms. Sinclair was not born to freedom or prosperity. Her family escaped one of the Western Hemisphere's bloodier tyrannies, leaving family, friends and bullet-riddled property behind so its future generations could live in peace and freedom.
At age 9, green card in hand, Ms. Sinclair was thrown into the Mission District Public School system without understanding a word of English. Dealing daily with the district's finest on city buses to and from grade and high school toughened the young Ms. Sinclair, leaving her with little tolerance for pettiness and whining.
While once poor by Los Altos standards, her family sacrificed everything so that Vilma could attend private schools and go on to college. Her father, a high school math instructor in his home country, took menial jobs at restaurants and hotels to support his family - without welfare, without regrets and certainly without whining! As a result, no one appreciates the previous generation more than does Ms. Sinclair.
Even though Ms. Sinclair did not storm the beaches at Normandy or invent the Festival of Lights Parade to earn her place in Los Altos, I doubt that the people complaining about a little construction noise did either. The overwhelmingly positive response Ms. Sinclair has received regarding her letter indicates that she is not alone in her contempt for the pointless whining coming from some of the world's most fortunate senior citizens.
It is a shame that her letter was misinterpreted. Rather than disrespect the "old guard," Ms. Sinclair has too much respect for them to allow a few of their own to cause them all to be characterized as whiners.
Gene SinclairLos Altos
Synergy in playing multiple sports
As I read your article of Nov. 24 on one-sport athletes ("Athletes' sports dilemma"), I waited for the inevitable mention of Willie Howard. The inevitable never came. Mr. Howard, you will recall, graduated from Los Altos High School in the not-too-distant past, played at least four varsity sports, including two in one season, and may be the only local high school athlete of the last or next 10 years who ever makes a dime playing a sport.
I suspect the most well-adjusted athlete mentioned in your article is Ms. (Samantha) Quintero, who plays three varsity sports and is the only Los Altos High varsity vollyball player who doesn't play on a club team. Her father sounds pretty well-adjusted, too.
Maybe there's a message here. Here's what I think it is - there's synergy in playing multiple sports. A plate of meat and three kinds of vegetables is healthier than a 40-ounce steak. Shame on parents who channel their children's energies into narrow pursuits. There's time enough for that when they begin their residencies.
John SinesLos Altos
How about a tax reduction?
I was unimpressed with the city government argument that a utility tax was necessary to provide a plethora of needs or wish lists. I was also concerned with the deception of not calling a tax by its proper name in order to circumvent the two-thirds approval needed for tax increases.
First of all, with all the million dollar-plus homes, I should think that the city would be awash in property tax revenue. Second, as I recall, the current utility tax was only a temporary tax.
I would think that our city government could easily provide the many services within their normal budgeted revenue. I also think that the city should consider tax reductions, especially the elimination of the current utility tax. I would like to think that a city like Los Altos could be a leader in reducing property taxes, especially now with rapidly increasing property values.
I am a longtime city resident and partially covered by Proposition 13 since I completely remodeled our house in 1986.
Frank Musso Jr.
Los Altos