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No On Measure W

Two weeks ago I wrote a summary on the Chamber’s position on Measure W on the November ballot. The Chamber is firmly against Measure W for the following reasons:

• Measure W Exposes the City to Legal and Financial Risks
• Measure W Violates the Civil Liberties of Private Homeowners
• Measure W Diverts Attention Away From Key City Priorities

I want to take a moment and expand on the first reason to vote No on Measure W. I will follow up in the upcoming weeks on reasons 2 and 3.

Reason 1 - Measure W Exposes the City to Legal and Financial Risks
If you have not read the 22 pages that comprise Measure W, then I recommend that you do, and then tell me if it is absolutely clear. The Chamber has had legal counsel review the measure so that we could understand the implications to our community. Unfortunately, the word back to us is that it is not.

• Measure W is poorly written and vague. This vague initiative could put the city at serious legal and financial risks, costing Redwood City taxpayers a quarter to half a million dollars in legal fees per lawsuit.
• Measure W will cost Redwood City taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in unnecessary lawsuits and repetitive special election costs that should be spent on neighborhood police patrols, park maintenance, youth and senior programs.
• Measure W’s extent is overly broad, and Redwood City taxpayers could be paying for several ballot measures a year in the future, costing as much as $200,000 for each special election.

The Chamber Needs Your Help
The proposed ballot measure will have a chilling affect over all of our community, especially the business community. Changing the planning approval process, litigation, special elections and other dynamics will cost our community precious public funds.

We need your help to get the word out, and we will need your financial support. The chamber has established a special fund, “Redwood City Chamber Committee to Protect our Charter.” Checks should be made out to the “Redwood City Chamber Committee to Protect our Charter, and sent c/o the Redwood City-San Mateo County Chamber of Commerce, 1450 Veterans Blvd, Redwood City, CA 94063. Financial support from members and non-members are welcomed.

Jeff Gee
Chairman

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