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1990 News/Articles ¡¡ N I I :,: .' ....... ,.' , :.! 1 i v ~ 1 C VI' ~ ...~o ;Þ,. ¡.. .. ~ :r. ~('> 0 .0 ., ... <¡POJ.?- NEWS RELEASE Contact: Donna Krey Public Information Officer (408) 252-4505, Ext. 262 July 17, 1990 PUBLIC HEARING SEl' ON TAX MEASURES 'lWo different tax measures designed to raise funis for buyin;¡- and preservin;¡- Blackberry Farm and other open space will be discussed at a special public hearin;¡- scheduled by the CUpertino City council on We:1nesday, AIJq. 1- One of the tax proposals is expected to be placed on the Nov. 6 ballot. ihe hearin;¡- at 7 p.m. in the CUpertino council chamber, 10300 '!brre Ave., will be held to gather public input on excise and utility taxes. ihe city will design one of those taxes to generate about $25 million for the purchase of Blackben:y Farm and the Frenont Older School site. 'Ihe plan also calls for a phased upgrade of 40 acres of school playin;¡- fields. Blackben:y Farm, a 35-acre recreation facility, has been offered for sale to the city by the family who has owned it for JIDre than 35 years. 'Ihe l2-acre Frenont Older School site WOlÙd be converted to a large youth sports COIIplex to meet the needs of softball and soccer leagues in the city. ihe city council will discuss a possible utility tax between 2 and 3 percent to be applied to residents and businesses in CUpertino. An excise tax of $65 per household per year and $65 per business employee also will be considered. Regardless of which tax measure is used, a 25-year sunset clause would apply, as would senior citizen exenq:>tions. on AIJq. 9, the city council will decide which tax measure to place on the November ballot. 'Ihe last day to file arguments with the city clerk is AIJq. 11 and 1\JJq. 21 is the last day to file rebuttals to those arguments. For further information on the public hearin;¡-, contact the CUpertino city clerk's office, (408) 252-4505, Ext. 224. # # # # City of Cupertino Cupertino, CA 95014 10300 Torre Avenue ,It's an old-fashioned picnic grounds. It's what picnics are supposed to be.' - Tom Nelson l &14 Saving the farm . -' \ ~~i! U~ UE!.2 û :E cø!:l §~]"'='.§'C ...... æ-.!Í ...oiI ..:iB'~~'" L" v &0iI.....'5.5.~.a:§¡ Q,.~ >,o::r ~ ~.slr>a.ii~~·!I .~~ .--4 ='S... 15 = ~~~~"'.8 ,5 ŠI'!;:¡¡j~ 8" ;J!I!1:!¡ ~ < 1::il1à1,gSšJis ';;.!i i~~.gSi8§1· ~ ~J~:¡¡f;J"] § ~~ ii' ~ ~ .. '" ::!'" i. . Q) s: Þ. M- 0:1 e '" !; ]u ~~Ui~H,!i o _.!I. I r= ð¡¡.!I.. o 1C1..~ .I" 00°>1=. ~ ~iÞ~ i ~~jJ!i~ ~ IHUi!HliU if>·:'~s~dnd1 ! i'U¡:~d€~b :j!1 ~j]¡~]lt ¡i~f~ ~f~ti :~g~ ~~~i5j=1'o ~~.su ~~g!~ ~i¡~ jfnJ'!;:~ ~"H! Jf~~ ~ :~ fj~f~~iJj~~j 11: ~ fE!~1; h~hl~1 i\i¡;1;¡~~ ~!'8.Hg8,!i. z.ii ~lis ~ ~ ~"'a ~lÊ .II Ii·,¡¡- §-!l.8" ~~§~!.rz.!t:s~<'II~<'II r:.Ð --11 ~:s'Q. <'II ~ælJjI Ilil§g~ Ij~g~ ]~~~ _ U!' I:~~ ~~~~H~~;¡ jT[ I: "''li0 E-g8 - t>~ ,.,-"Q og' :, ~ .å~ 8 næ';¡ h;¡i·:!:;~ ° ~ s ~ :flS,!!> ~~lid~~~Þ.!!æo .;~. D IS :ã ~5 ..... '"'.... ,,1i- If :I c <; ~Ii~ !1j i~~~";¡M~,!i~ ..~! 1 >< .>',š5! .1IÐ~-a°5...]iiI'õ~~.5ICI..~~~ It ~hsßh~~5 ~,!i~p;¡hf;:~5! a~,!iE~p~. ~~~~..~.1~,!i ~_..I~ v !!g~s iL,:]:" 1l~ ~:Ii:.a~ 1.8;= ¡¡.~ :5~~~!!~~ 2! ã~rz.:~!!j< II e ::Ii: <:= ~ q¡~ c::¡ Q, "'::¡.... c..!t.. o::i <f) ð1 u.8 <'II It_,s ~ ~ E ..c$-¡ ~C'Ö ctS~ E~ o $-¡ ~ ~ :µ..c $-¡~ ~U ~~ U~ ~ .. III Ë u , , By Bernard Bauer After feDdinø off dorJens of top-doI- The city councll will hold a public M"emJty N-. St.fI Writ... tar offen over the years from «level· beIuin& on Aug. 1 to decide whether Tbe owners of Blackberry Fann in open, Ute Ne1øons have decided to øeU the fonds 8boWd be raised through a Cupertino may go down in local bistc> their land to the city for an open øpace utility to. or an ez.CÎ!Je tn. ry as the family that valued their land aod. naeatIœ preMI'W- City offidala aJøo wanted to buy and their neighbors more than money. Cupertino voters will face a ballot nearby Deep Cliff golf coone. but they ''Greed. has never been a princlpa1 measure, probably in November, to cou1d not reach an agreemeøt with its motive of our family," said Tom Nel- raise money to buy Btaclr.berry Fann owners. son, pres1dent of the family finn that Tbe measure aløo would raiIIe fundi to No details are available œ the pur- owns the 33-acre picnic grounds and buy the site of Older Elementary cbaae price diøcusIed by the city and golf course near De Ann College. Scl1oo1 - which would be converted to the Nelsons for Blackberry Farm. "We're probably very UMOpbisticated a youth sports facility - and to main- However, NelJoo sa)'! that selling to and laid-back, but we enjoy a good lain!JCbool sites around the dty for developers would have been more reputation," recreational uses. See BLACKBERRY, paoe 4 Blackberry Farm sale to go on the bâllot /1t ~~ "1 , I 'I .......J L_~ . v ote due on sports-field options SPORTS. from Paue 1 The controversy began when the Little Qty oIftctaJs hive IIiDce -.red the JII8ft!DbI Sedgwict to replace the eIistioc building, which League parents found out that the city and the tbat fields wW be avaUable. wIaUe u.e city is considered wasafe. district were ~ a deveIopneai pIaa for COIIÜIIIIM to ... . JoDe.tam 8ObItioa. Altbougb the price tag for the 12-acre Older the former Wilson Elementary School lite, ~ tile .....,. reaetioD from tile Little site could be bigh. SIeve Dowlinø. the city's where ~ties has played for the pat 27 Le8&ue. city lad ICbøoI GtðdaIIIDIt witII rep. director of parb and recreation, said city offi- years. IWII!IItaU... of JOUIII IIpOI1I IfOUIII 0ft!I' tile cta1s want to increase the DUmber of fields Last July, the district sold the aoutbem par_ put two ~ .... came up wUb . pIaD to ... available for team øporb. lion of that site, iDcluding the Little I.-gue hußd. IIpOI'tai CIOIIIIJIø lor IIOCC8' ad aoftbaIl "Every piece of turf in town is CllrTeDtly fields, to the city. Tbe cti8trict retained the at the Older lite. UDder that pIaa, wbicIa 1& under use," be said. northern portion, which it said it wanted to peadI on the ~ of the ~ f1mdbrc Lisa Doff, an eucutive board member of develop as siQgle-family homes. meuure, tM UWe Leque -fIeIdt at WiI80ã Tri-Cities Little League in CUpertino, said her However, earlier this year, the cityaod the would nmaia. opeD. aod the diItrict would de- _.I::;.':.."':""Iobb~to""ballfieldofrom _ began -.. . .... _....... .............._port"'..._ dev t bas paid off. which the city would swap its land at WUIoa for The IDeeÜIIII aIIO ....ated ID two otbeI', lee. "We've actually got some real good re- an equivalent amowrt of land at Older. That ambWouI........ for ~ playbtø sponse," she aaId. would allow the district to develop the eratire fieIdI. but DrowUaI laid be ........ Vytaa to Two mooths ago, however, LiWe League par- Wilson site. 1be city would also have beea able buy tbeeatireOlder lite aDd Iœepactbe-WIIiIob eats were furious at the city for wortiDg 00 to buy additioaaJ land at Older for IpOrts. ball BeIda. potential deveIopmeat deals with the school But the LiUle League pareoœ øakI that wbDe Daft saki the rouabIJ' 100 famiUeI: 01 the district that ............ said...... ba.. _ 011 ..... """- ..... takIag _ .......... ....... wtII _ ..... ... wbIdt '" ... ...... doom to< the Ieqœ, ....... be wi""'" adequate fieIdo. .- tbey _, Cupertino may vote on buying open space OPEN SPACE '--- Page 1 mucb rather see the city have it it baa been openUnc Blackberry 0WDeI'I lu.ve met (IX."e with cJty ,J' ",n than øee it deveIoped." be said. ") Farm. "There', JllIt preuures oØIdaII aDd ..-e .__ far aD 1be measure would alao allocate .as raiaed 00 this piece of proper- from aU sidell to do øometbIoø... be offer. funds to purdaase surplus ICbooI ty. It', a beautiful piece of proper- saki. "ReI1deatial property around sites for pubße recreation. ty." Eric Bracber, oo.owner 01 the ber'e illeIIbtc far a mIIIioa doUan The Sf. Deep CUff -- Nelson said the family bas been Deep CUff property, said be .... DO .. acre." Bracbw MId. "We'd lite acre ........... .y, approacbed "many many times" JIftft,.~ as to whether the laud to be ccmpImIated If it', .... to located Dear Foothill Boulevard by "--.1_ .......:... the SI _.... remains opea space 01' DOt. 1be be opea..-ce." and McClellan Road, is now 1IIed _.~.. ....."N6 ;1_8 as a golf eoune. Blackberry Farm, which ia about 35 acres, has a r-- _ , amaUer, nine-hoIe golf courøe, as I _ well as a larp pkDic area. It is Iocoled juøt nortb '" Deep CU/f. with McClellan Ranch Part situat- ~ ed between the properties. City offîctals appear closer to an agreement OD Blackberry Farm than Deep CU/f, Tom He...... ....... dent of the family corporaüoo that owns BIackbeny, said be notI to 8ee his property kept out of the ...... 0/""'-" "AU ........ ..... equal, I ....... San 30ße ~f1er(Uri Open space may be on Cupertino ballot ay Bernard Bauer Citin¡: the ongoing negotiations with the labdown- Uercury New_ St8ff Writ.. ers, city officials have declined to diaeuss fUJaDCiaI ~':;;:~Y~:"'~~'J,=~':'~ ""::":ó.......'YPIaœd.'30million.......œ City backs Older sports complex area and the Deep CUff golf course to save both open bond measure on the baUol Measure K woo 54 ~_ lp8ce ¡ems ft'l:m deveIopmenl cent of the votes cast but feU short of the two-thirds By Bernard Bauer coo1d also raise JDODey to purehaae Blackben'y Over the past few mooths, city officials have been margin required for victory. IIkrcwy Ne"*I St8f1 Wriltt Farm and Deep CIîff golf COUI"JI!, as well as pay.for boldinø private talks with UM:' ownen of the 1J1'OII:«. :n.e measure targeted Biackberry Farm ~ Deep R~i"g to pressure from hundreds of par_ împrovemeD~ and ~tenauœ for school Sites ties in preparatioo for a possible open space fUlJding CUff for eventual purchase by the CIty, 810118 WIth the ents. the city of Cupertino is throwing its _eight used for public recreaÜOQ. measure on the November ballot. Such a measure former De Ama Racquet Club. Despite the defeat of bebiDd a piau to buy the Older Elementary School Older Elementary School is still in operation, but would have to be prepared by mld-July. The cost for the measure, the city ended up buying the tennis club site and convert it into a large youth sports COIn- the CupertiDo Unioo ScbooI District is thinking of the properties could run in the tens of mllllons of earlier this year for 17.9 miIUoD. pJez for aoftball and soccer. cIoøiDg the scbooI and traosterrliJC its students to dollars. AccorcIiIJI to city officials, if an open space mea- Money to buy the site could come from an open- the former Sedgwick EtemeDtary School site. Un- "It's a beauWul, natural environment that we want sure ÎB pIaœd 00 the November ballot, it could be space fuDding measure that the city ia eoastcIering der that plan. a new acbooI would be built at to maintain," said Bob Cowan, director of community constructed 80 that only a simple majority would be pIacinø on the November ballot. Tbe measure See SPORTS, Page 6 development. "It has a Ioog historical use as private required for passage. ............H....." CUPERTINO OURIER BUll< RATE u.s. POSTAGE PND Cl!'ERTNO,CA, PwmI NIl. 781 RO.Jlox36il, CUtertino,~~À 9šô.r5'~ '->A%:~::-:-j.::,;:,;;,--~,~~'\i<i.;''.;X' jwj,:::;_;;;__j,:,:,{",::~;",~> _~ . 'o~"'ð%'-.ff;;N¢~,.Çil i:;:,*,,'" -.~ ¿*~:i~~:!Ú _.:~~<'~,ð- Cupertino City Council considers tax measure By Jetr Barbosa Despite a survey of Cuperûno residents ihat shows fewer than 50 percent of them favor an excise or uûlity tax, the City Council last week directed staff to develop two draft tax ordinances. one of which could end up on the Nov. 6 ballol The CQW1Cil will review drafts of the uÛlity and excise tax measures at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 1, in the City Hall Council Chambers. It will meet Aug. 9 to decide whe(ber to place a measure on the Novem- ber ballor.. Council members will not be able to make any changes in the measures at the Aug. 9 meeting because of the Santa aara County Registrar's deadline for submittal. Four affumaûve votes are required to place a tax measure on me ballot The tax measures are designed to raite- about $25 million to pur. chase open spaCe: land in the city. A simple majority is needed for ap- proval, unlike a bond measure which requires two-thirds support. The results of a survey of 400 Cupertino residents, conducted by Godbe/Fries Communications, a Half Mooo. Bay consuJting and re- search finn, indicate that 48 percent of those polled favor an excise tax to buy land to be preserved as open space, retain land for recre- ational faciJiûes and improve existing youth sports facilities. Forty- five percent of those polled, oppose the idea~ SIIppOft,flrralility taM is even smaller. Only 39 percent favor I utiJity tn., wtrile 56 pen::eDt reject it. The survey shows thai if a tax measure is put on 1be bIJ.]ot, council members and open space advocate~ will have a tough battle on their hands trying (0 convince voters to support iL With this in mind, the council began to discuss how it can make iì tax, measure more palatable to voters. An excise tax should be $65 per resIdential unit and $65 per company employee, the council decided Council members Barb Koppel and Lauralee Sorensen favored I $70/ 560 split. Sorensen said she fell the council was "sticking it" to busi- ness. A sunset clause and senior citizen exemption will be pan of the draft t3'1: measurcs. Rather than auempting to raise $33.5 million to upgrade playing fields and purchase Fremont Older School and Blackberry Farm. the council, in order to get a measure approved, will seek $25 million in- Please rum to pace 2 The Cupertino City Council is considering a tax measure to pUl'thase the Fremont Older roelds in Cupertino. ------- i ~ i :,¡ Elizabeth Winegar, 8, and Alicia try to .drive the bell pMt Tommy as he tries to block their ef. forts at Wilson Park in Cupertino. The city is considerinc a tar measure that would enable the city to keep the nehls u open space in the city. i :,¡ The åty or Cupertino is coosidering a tax .....ure tbat _ enable the åty to purcbase Black- berry Farm in Cupertino. - City Council to consider tax measure options Brian Marigmen, 11, and EIJea Peoera, 1, lock tbeir feet far. wild ride OD tile swiDgset at ODe 01 Blackberry Farm', plaWOOJlllll. The city is COIIIÎderiIIIa IU measure that ........ ...ble the cil)' to purcb... the properly. Vall co Fashion Park mall to feature amusement area By Je/lBarbosa A 43.000 squue-foot amuse- ment center featuring a pirate ship shooûng gallery. a blUing cage. a driving simulator, bumper cars and. a carousel is wgetcd to open Aug. 1 at VaHoo Fasbioo. Park. adjacent to the Ice Capades Chalet. The amusement center, called "Tilt," is operated by Nickels and Dimes of Dallas. Tex. It is the biggest of the company's more than 1 go centers naûOl1- wide. Nickels and Dimes runs a 40,000 square-footJacility in Northwest Plaza, located in St. Louis. Mo. It also operates amusement centers 011 a smaller scale in San MateO. Laguna Hills and San Diego. according to Frank Mang, TUt's general super- visor. Currently, four tenants have leased space in Tilt's food court. which has room for five food outlets. Five party rooms will be available for custœle1'S to rent. The rooms can be altered into one big space that will be able 10 accommcda'" 150 people, Man¡ said. In addition 10 the bauing cqe. mall ~ttœs will be able to hurl a basebaJ and have the speed of the pitch clocked or play boop shots in .Jhe cemer'. sports area, said Marty Present of PR Sl Louis, !be public relaÛOllS firm represenIÙIg Nickell snd Dimes. AbooI 100 video games will .... be II !be .....r. People UIio¡ !be simulator will strap IbemIeIves into I van wiI:b seatbellS md witch I screen. The van will re- set in sequaocc willi !be film Pagl!2/CUpItrtInÞCowWfJ4Jy25, ,. shown 011 the scn:c:o, she added. The 4ß.f... long _, gal- lC'J}' will ooosist of I piIWCI,. ship, pintes' tavern and captaiD'. quKta'I. The piraccs will pwe alldlalkinlimtof1be_ 111: carousel win be 30 feet in diameter lOCI have 22 difl'creot typCI of IDimals, Present said. There will be 20 bumper can. MlDg called rut I toW flDlily emcrtaimnent CCDICt. It wiD 1i1:* some of ilS· pany packages with the ice rink.. "What we wanted to do w. create an coviroamaIt wIIf:R die iœ/ink......... ........ fec. ·off of the t;:}ãC¡ ,. lIid V Inco GencralMlnlgcr Bob WalIIqoiIL He doa ... expect lIlY prdIIemI from _ Ioiter- P&.lIIm.lOpqeS Sreve Rodri¡ub IaspedI the ceil... i. the ....... IegeI of Valko FIIIbioa Plrk'. DeW _uaemeat area. c........ from pqe I stead. The city win most liIcely use park deveIopmmt fees to make up the difference and upgrade the fields. Council member Nick Szabo is the lone IU'dent supporter of I utility tax. In a memo to the council, however, City Manqcr Don Brown wrote: ''The City Council is faced with a dilemma: The to that would provide the neccsury revenue and that bas the most advantages, the utility tax., appears 10 suffer a fatal flaw; the voteR dœ't like it" Those from the business community participating in the city's .s hoc revenue-generating committee let it be openly known tbIt !hey doo', IiIce OIilil)' caxes. Browa said. Wheo !be res! of the council ~ ready 10 posb for ao exci.. tax, Szabo demanded more debate and iDpuI from the public. He said an agenda for the council's 4 p.rn. July 16 meeting gavc residents "absolutely no cine" the council would be deciding on a tax measure. He added thl1 the city's Goals Committee and Parks and Recreatioo. Ccmmission should give input 00. the tax ancaauœs. "When you SWl. saying that if we vote tonight, if we decide to- night, we arc not foUowing the democratic process, I really object to that," Council member ManbalI Goldmm told Szabo. "You may," he replied. Citing the results of the survey, Gokbnan questioned. the need for more informatioo. "We are arguing over bow much more informatioo we should havc.," he said. "That's not leldersbip." Szabo reiterated that proceeding: without more input from commis. siooers and residents would be improper. "What we are asking for tonight is not a decision. What we are asking for tonight is a dircclioo," Brown said, adding that the city has the opiniœs of 400 residcŒs IS a result of the survey. "We do not run govcmmcnt by surveys," Szabo responded. The utility tax would be placed 00. gu, clecuicity and telepboocs, Brown urged the council to avoid any tax that would be too compli- cated for the votcrl to understand. "We'vc got 10 make it simple," Goldman said in agreement. 00dbeIFrics was dim::tt:d to do anoIher poD asking people wbc&ber !bey would support the tax measures with the sunset clauses and se- nior~....~mp'itw!l. Cupertim rcsidenl Owck Jacobson told the council 10 put a tax measure befŒe vocers in April 1991 ralher than November. He said he clll't Jd yœ1b..sporta cndmaiuÞ 10 support. . measure bcc_ Ibey are unfamiliu willi iL . . m.otbeI' Ktioa. tbccouncil aIIo approved resdUÛODl to put. advisory measure limiting counc::il members to two consecutive termS in office. The maximum fŒ .......tinnntl5 service would be 10 )'CII'L AA individual c:ouId scck elcctiOD after being off the council fŒ two years. The advisory measure will appear 011 the ballot only if the COUD- cil decides 10 also put a tax measure before voters. CupertiDo is . JCD- crallaw city so the term-limitation measure would only be advisory snd c:caJd "'" be impkmcnIed. GoIdmaa snd Mayor a_a ~ opposed puuing !be advisory measure œ the ballot. Rogers. who is in her third term, is the ooly city official wbo bas served more than two consecutive termS. In last November's city electiOD. council members John Plungy and John Ol1to sougbt third terms but were dcfe.aled. "I think: it's I waste of Û1De and money," Rogers said. Szabo said he wants to "dispel the notion that this is directed at . particular pcrsoa." Umiting council terms docs not insure good government, Rogen concluded. Cupertino to hold open space hearing Two difTcrent taX measures designed to raise funds for bayinl tod preserving Blackberry Farm and other open S(*C will be discussed at a spc<ial public bearin¡ sebcœted by !be ~ City Couacil ... WedDcsday, Alii- 1. One of the tax proposals is expected to be placed œ!be Nov. 6 ballot. 111: beuin& is scbcdulcd fŒ 7 p.rn. in the ~ Council Chambers. 10300 Tone Ave. It will be held 10 gather public: input œ excise and utility taxes. The city wiD design one of those taxes to gen- en'" _ S2S millioa for !be _hue of Blackberry Form snd !be Fremoot Older ScbooI. siIe. The plan also calls fŒ a phased upgrade if 49 seres of _ playinc r_ The City Council will discuaI a possible uûlity tax between 2 and 3 perœm to be applied to n:sidentI aDd businesses in Cuperûno. An ex· J - laX of $6S per - per ye" snd $6S per business employee also will be CODIiderec1 Rcprdlcss of which tax mtasurC is used, a 2S-~ SUDlCt clause wœId apply, u would senior citizen exemp- .- i Oa Au¡. 9. !be City CouaciI will decide if it wIllIS 10 place one of the twO tax IIICIIIøeI œ Ibc November ballot. The Jut day to file ar- :t pmcntJ. willi. die city clc:rtt is Au¡. 11 and Au¡. 21 is tbc last day tø m. rebuaall .. _ ,,_ For .... infOl1lllÛCll ... !be ~ bearing call tbc Cupertino city clerk's offICe at 2S2-4SOS, exL 224. - .---- -~- . I . . &1' ~YCu.J4 CupertIno weighing open-space tax By Bernard Bauer the city uøes for recreation. Mercury N~ Staff Write,- City officials said they were uncertain In cœtrut. tbe opeD ¡pace excise to: Cupertino residents and h("'r~lIIes to- what effect a separate proposal would would tap each 1v--bnId IfX' $85 a year. night get the cbanœ to _ 0 proposal have 011 their plans, ..hich would "'* wI- -.... beaded by a '-t aged 65 C h f .. to levy a .... city lu that would raiøe $25 en to fmance a Santa Clara stadlmn f« CO' older would be """"'pt 10 either caoe, 88 or recreation mUllOll lor open apaœ aud recreaüœ. the San Francisco Giaats tbrou&b bi&ber _1dI iDcI.... rental UDib.. 'Ibe city COUDciI baa ............ a ~ .wity \ami, Tbat iIoue wiD aIao be dia- Fer .....- In CUpertiœ, the picture - for. -- ~ lax to - $25 - for opan spaca and _lion session aud public bearIac 01' p.m. at City ..- tonIgbl II a Utile ...... complicated. ...1. .... will ba ~ for - lonIght. .t 7 p,m, ., CIty Hall, Hall to decide whether to put bel.... wI- CupertlDo City MaIIager Don IIrowa satd wouId...y a Oat ... per employee ..- · UUIIty - 2,4 - on PG&8 and . 80th tax.. run '0< 25 -" and __Id en. probably In N_, one of two Ibe propooed GtaolB lu aød the opeu the opeD apaœ _ tu. 'I'ÍIe ùtillty tax - !>'ß6- Estimated coot po per pay 10< the $25 million aporIlI>8CO nwa- propooed lu.. _ a ~ lu CO' an _ opace lu "could be viewed as competlDc. tab f« . Ir~ . bowever, would vary -, var10s ~ on - of ...... lu, . If 10, proœbly _ one would _ In "'l::::.: lIB"'" bu8Inooa. · -- - all -.g unha. A 25-year lu la _ to raiøe $2Ii CUpertiœ." 10 city aaaIyaeo, the Ial'IIIt -- owned Of -, miIJioo 10 belp buy the IIIaddoeny Farm Aa:onIiD 10 city eotimales, the pro-.....- . - can have ..... ullUty . ex.- - $85 per -, $85 per · -- - by """"""'" - recreational area aud 0IdII' EIemeaIaIy pooec u _t open opace ullUly tax 00 bUII,..ooId...y 1IIOI'e"- the utility tu. ~ .... -- 65 0< older ...-, School, offlCials say. '!'be fIIIda woakI aJao ÞG&E aod teIepbooe bUlB would cost the But smaller buBiDea_ probably pay ao...ce: CIty of CU¡:w1h) ....y to upI'8de aud _ _ slta avenge ...._Id aboot po . year, See CUPERTINO. Page' It's utility vs. excise tax plans in Cupertino CUPERTINO,from Page 1 "Wbetber yoo üveln 0 _ opartmeot CO' wbicb lu to ~ - CO'..- to support _ ..- the utility to, ocoordIn& Io!be a 5 millIoo dollar ....-. yoo ...y !be aame 8IIJ lu - aaid Frank Strazzartoo, ezecuUve dIy. (_) to, aud tbaf' uIt DOt _." be said. director of !be CUpertIno Cbamber 01 Com- EYeu tboub !be ullUly lu appean 10 be _ aIao I8Id tbat moot surrouodID& COOl- merœ. _per lCO' .-... offidaII ......'1 __ mUDltiell ...y a mucb Jù&ber .wily tu. To Increase open opace aud n!Cn!Btion In _ _ wouIdllllllOri Il A _ _ by CUpertiœ of city -- !be city CUpertlDo officials had also ..anted 'Ibe bIgest problem, ..... officials I8Y, la deals _ they preferred an - tu. 10 buy Deep CUH golf course. but they could that _ may WOITy uUUty rata could But _ aaaIyzed !be ......ey aud louod it oot'- agreement with its ......... IDOIII upward In !be future. If tbat ha_ bad DOt -' !be $3ð-YS.~ figures. !be eotimaled po aanoal cost ..- !be utili- "It .... ~_I.v- 10 have a ......ey witb- 10 all, officials I8Y they oeed to raise $33,5 ty lu would also iDcresae. oot the rlgbt amouot of mooey," Szaoo said, miUioo In _ luodiog, 10 addition 10 "What Is po _y may be $60 t.omom>w; "" , reoul~ !be ......ey .... .._........ 10 the $2Ii millIoo in propœed tax.... $5,5 mI11ioo said COO,....,-- _ Goldman. iDcI.... 0.- figures, said city spoIœswmnan would come from lees paid by deYeiope'" But COO.....,-- Nick -. -1IIIIOI1S Dooaa Krey. 'Ibe resulIB wiD be preseoled at aud P mlIIioo woold come fn>m Income the !be .wity to, said !be _ tax la a bad tœI&bt"..-me. city would earn from BIadiben'y Farm', golf deal for reBideDta. .....1- T 80 far appear di~ded over coune aod picnic areas. ) . Cupertino to vote on new tax OPEN SPACE,/romPage 1 The excise tax would have cost by the city but they decided th large businesses less than the utili· . e ty tax. =:ld cover only open space Some speakers at last week's . . council meeting said that the utili. U the measure passes, the City ty tax would motivate energy con. will use the funds to ~y the Black- servation, because lower utility berry Fann recreatioo a~ ~nd bills would mean paying less man- Older Elementary School. OffICIals ey for the utility tax. bad also wanted to set aside ~ "With the utility tax, it's waste of the money to upgrade and maID- not. want not," saîd resident Cour- U the November measure pass- tenay Heater. es, the city will fund the school Parks and Recreation CornnJis. f~ program from other sources. sianer Darwin Throne, an open A recent pon conducted by a space advocate, said that if the tax consultant for the city showed rest· measure passes, the city could re- dents favored the utility tax over a coup some of its expenses from propœed excise tax. 1be Reise tax Blackberry Farm, whicb has a would have cost residents $65 per JÛDe..bole golf course and a large bouIehold, while businesses would picnic.area that is rented to Wave paid $65 ~ employee, groupo, ~ Open space tax to target businesses By Beman! Bauer inial about $30 per boooebold over that 50 percent of the vob!s cast AI1eD said the coot to businesses was "a poøsible, M<tn:ury N~ 5t.ff Writ~r period. Mayor Barbara Roeen cast the IIOle h'CI.~ amount of money," ''We are not spending "·be said. "We are 110...- in Cupertino will pay the Blaine Snyder, Cupertino'. director of vote.gaiM the open space tax measure, Snyder said he could not conflnn AI1eD'. investing for the future ;,¡ our kids and for lion's share of a proposed utility tax for fmance. cautioned that the city's estimate Councilwoman Lauralee Sorensen was ab- figures. the future of CUpertino," open space that will appear on the city's of how much businesses will pay could sent. The executive board of the Cupertino . . November baUot. change. However, he said, "In relaUoo to The utility las would apply ooly to lele- Cbamber of Commerce asked the council u:::œ ~buy"=""IÍ='~ use Aecording to preUminary estimotes by the WtaI bill, you just know they're going pbooe and PG&E billa. Hooseholds headed at last week's meeting oot to place the, -.., ann the city, ..I could end up paying to pay more (than residents)," by residents 65 or older would be ezempt. measure on the November ballot, saying recreation . a~a and Older Elementary a_ tbree-fourths of the $25 miUioo the The city council voted 3-1 at a special Doo AUen, president of the Cupertino the issue needed more study, School, Officials had aJso wanted to set city bopes to raise over 25 years. meeting Aug. 1 to place the utility tax National Bank, estimated businesses But Councilman Nick Szabo, who lob- asi~ ta~ :u:œ sc:rayingto UPf:~e.= The balance would be paid by residents, measure 00 the November ballot. In order woold have to pay a total of $1.7 miilloo a bied hard for the uUUty tos, said the city mam m po p I whole annual additional uOOty tax would to pass, the measure must win more than year. whße residents would pay '600,000. should preserve as much open space as See OPEN SPACE. Page 3