HomeMy WebLinkAboutStaff Report 4.B Late Document 06 01/25/2010From: Crump, Katie
Sent: Monday, January 25, 2010 8:48 AM
To: -City Clerk
Subject: FW: thank you
For the binder
From: James Crutcher [mailto:sophia_crutcher@yahoo.com]
Sent: Friday, January 22, 2010 9:48 PM
To: ptorliatt@aol.com; daveglass@comcast.net; teresa4petaluma@comcast.net; mike4pet@aol.com;
mthealy@sbcglobal.net; david@davidrabbitt.com; tiff@tiffanyrenee.com; cirymgr
Subject: thank you
Dear City Council and City Manager:
First, we want to thank each one of you for working as hard as you do in trying to improve the quality of life for all Petalumans.
There is probably a lot more work that goes unseen and unappreciated, but we are very grateful for having each of you dedicate so
much of your time to this community.
This is our first letter like this, so we thought we would start with questions.
Do you want our property tax dollars? Do you want our retail dollars? We are a family of four with jobs in the one of the companies
that pays the highest wages in Petaluma.
We decided to stop commuting last year and move here, with the idea that we would purchase a house if we liked the community
and schools for our children. I remember my wife. and I saying to each other: "Well at least it doesn't have a Target, that is a plus."
I have attended council meetings and read the comments of each of you in the newspapers. Although you often differ, I truly believe
that you would not choose to serve the city without a genuine motivation to improve the quality of our lives.
That being said, I want you set aside differences and ask a few questions that may generate a new framework for looking at the
same issue (of which your are all probably pretty exhausted of by now!).
Who is it that you really want to attract to Petaluma? Is this a demographic with higher than average wages?
What industries are projected to be growing within the next decade in the U.S.?
What is unique about Petaluma that could be capitalized on?
When we ask these questions, we keep coming back to a NO ON TARGET.
Why?
Here are examples:
Personal: Our family finds it cheapens the community, stripping it of its charms. It sends a message to us that this isn't our type of
town, and probably not one we will be buying a house in.
Economic: The federal economic job outlook says that one of the few increases in the higher paying jobs will be in the science sector.
That is, positions that provide solutions to the innumerable problems facing the planet.. For example, there is an econorriic impact
that results from the policies to reduce greenhouse emissions, and that means there will be jobs created to solve the problem
proactively.
Synergy: The Heirloom Seed Company relocated to Petaluma last year because over 50% of their customer base was here. Doesn't
that wave a flag to us? We have the demographic and interest right here on our_soil to cultivate the jobs in our town.
Opportunity: Over 40% of our retail/corporate space is empty. Telecom is at its bare bones from what it once was. Let's replace that
by openly courting companies that will be the problem solvers and innovators in reducing greenhouse emissions. We need to do this
BEFORE another community beats us to it!
Movement: All of a sudden, Marin no longer wants to shut us off by being the obstacle in the SMART train. They want our type of
people shuttling back and forth to their community. We are the Green Valley of Silicon Valley. Money comes flooding into our
schools. Sonoma State University expands their green building program and offers new academic programs to train the next
generatioh for working in the environmental industries.
Target: Are you .kidding? With the tax dollars from the high paying jobs that will be in our community, Target's offer is pocket
change. They would slink away and we will all have a good laugh that we were ever that desperate.
Challenge: I know that each of you are under pressure to do what is right given the incredible financial constraints the city is under.
But this is just like exercise, just when you can no longer do that last push up, you manage one more. Don't let Target muscle their
way in here. We have a MUCH MORE IMPORTANT JOB to attend to, and that is attracting industries we are proud of that support and
sustain our community.
Respectfully,
James and Sophia Crutcher