------- Forwarded Message From: Jym Dyer <jym@econet.org> Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2006 09:32:44 -0800 (PST) Subject: Rebuttal to Endorsement of John Rizzo =v= The _Bay_Guardian_ chose not to print this letter. <_Jym_> Dear Editor, Campaigning for College Board, John Rizzo promises fiscal integrity and better public transit. This sounds good, and you gave him your endorsement, but look at his track record: he made the very same promises when campaigning for 1998's Prop J, which authorized an underground parking garage in Golden Gate Park. Garage proponents calling themselves "San Franciscans for Better Parks" hired the public relations firm Solem & Associates, which boasts among its clients Bechtel, Chevron, PG&E, and Lucasfilm. This is the group that funded Rizzo's pro-J ballot argument. A textbook example of an astroturf group, its messages were tailored to address, or rather flimflam, the concerns of the grassroots opposition to the garage. They did this by cobbling together garage supporters who called themselves environmental activists, with Rizzo as their spokesperson. With a budget of half a million dollars, the campaign was a success: voters narrowly approved the garage and the formation of the Golden Gate Park Concourse Authority, to which Rizzo was appointed by then-Mayor Willie Brown. The Authority immediately got down to the business of breaking Prop J's many promises to the public. Rizzo settled into the role of "loyal opposition," at times the lone dissenting vote. This was an exercise in futility -- a futility that he himself put into place -- and the only thing that benefited from the exercise was his image. Considering how thoroughly the public was being defrauded, and that every promise he'd signed his name to was being broken, he should have done more than that. Others did do more than that. Lawsuits were filed, including one by Katherine Roberts of Trees Not Cars, who argued that Prop J was being violated. A judge agreed on one point, so the garage-builders responded with an outrageous scheme to widen a park road. This riled up public opposition, as it was surely intended to. At this point, Rizzo stirred from his naysaying repose to spring into action. His efforts centered on last year's Prop G, which had two parts, the first serving as a Trojan horse for the second: 1) weak wording about not widening the park road, and 2) strong wording to render the Trees Not Cars lawsuit moot. Rizzo campaigned tirelessly for this thing, taking it to a number of groups to win their endorsements. He focused on part 1 and avoided talking about part 2, apart from implying that Roberts was in league with the GOP. The poor judgement and lack of integrity he's shown in the public sphere disqualifies him for public office. I'm not voting for Rizzo for College Board in November. Sincerely, Jym Dyer Trees Not Cars San Francisco ________________________________________________________________ Notes ~~~~~ [1] San Franciscans for Better Parks spends half a million dollars, much of it going to Solem & Associates. http://www.sfgov.org/site/ethics_page.asp?id=13953 http://www.sfgov.org/site/ethics_page.asp?id=14930 [2] Solem & Associates gushes about their clients. http://www.solem.com/solem_pages/services/guide.htm "If you're a major oil company and the San Francisco board of supervisors wants to force you to sell your gasoline outlets in the city, you call Don Solem. If you're a development company hoping to build on a prime mid-town location, and you want everything to go smoothly, you call Don Solem. And if you're a citizen's group hoping to pass a bond measure for environmental improvements, you call Don Solem. At least that's what Chevron, Forest City Development and San Franciscans for Better Parks did, and in each case the result was the same: victory." http://www.solem.com/solem_pages/services/saopinionresearch/opinions_clients... m [3] From the ballot pamphlet, Rizzo's promises that Prop J would do environmental wonders (promises funded by San Franciscans for Better Parks). LOCAL ENVIRONMENTALISTS FOR PROPOSITION J Proposition J converts 250,000 square feet of surface parking into grass, trees, and open space where today there are cars and more parking will be removed later. Proposition J jump-starts long-discussed public transportation projects including a free inter-park shuttle, supported by fees from the parking garage, as well as better public transportation to the Park. It preserves the Museum Concourse while removing cars from the surrounding area. Frop J also enables the Park to keep the Academy of Sciences, an institution that supports wildlife, plant, and habitat conservation through research and education. None of this is a coincidence. Environmentalists worked hard on the design of Proposition J to ensure that it would improve and enhance Golden Gate Park for recreationists, museum-goers, and everyone else who enjoys the Park. VOTE YES ON PROPOSITION J John Rizzo, Environmental Activist David M. Jamison, Chair, Golden Gate Park Conservancy Kirby Walker, Board Member, National Resources Defense Council Dennis Antenore Helen Martin Spalding, Trustee, Wildlife Conservation Society Walter C. Sedgwick, Director, National Audubon Society Director, Land Trust Alliance The true source of funds used for the printing fee of this argument was San Franciscans for Better Parks. ------- End of Forwarded Message