Opinion EDITORIAL
THE OPINION OF THE WEEKLY
Las Positas College needs more revenue to meet student needs Las Positas College, the Tri-Valley’s award-winning community college, is a shining star among California universities and state colleges that accept hundreds of its graduates each year, but there could be trouble ahead. Kevin Walther, a doctorate-degreed administrator who became president of the school last year, told the Rotary Club of Pleasanton last week that enrollment, which peaked at 10,045 students just two years ago, has now dropped to 8,760 because of shrinking state funding. Course offerings also have been trimmed, from 927 courses offered in 2009 to 793 today. The “fill rate,” which determines how many can be in a classroom, is already at 95% with some teachers volunteering to take on more students than they are contractually obligated to handle. Since 2010, cuts in state funding have cost LPC JEB BING about 5,500 seats per semester Las Positas College presiand more than 13,300 seats for dent Kevin Walther urges voters to approve Proposithe 2011-2012 school year. tion 30 tax measure and Through the Measure B bond LPC’s Measure I parcel tax measure, LPC received enough to bring needed revenue to funds to build facilities and up- college. grade infrastructure to meet rising enrollment. This included a new state-of-the-art science complex nearing completion, a student services building and special campus pathways to ease the burden of students with physical disabilities. Measure B funds also allowed the college to install solar panels that now generate more than half of the electricity needed to power the campus. This has not only reduced the college’s carbon footprint, but it also has saved millions of dollars that are being used to serve students. But Sacramento, not school administrators, determines how many students can attend the state’s community college system, and that number is shrinking across California. The Las Positas College Foundation has helped and other fundraising efforts, including LPC’s joint venture with the city of Livermore to sponsor an Independence Day picnic and fireworks show on the campus, provide needed financial help. But it’s the millions of dollars in state aid that keep LPC and other community colleges afloat and those funds are withering. Walther said that LPC’s budget will stay about the same in 2013 if Gov. Jerry Brown’s Proposition 30 tax measure is approved on Nov. 6. Without those additional funds, LPC will likely be faced with a $5.2 million mid-year budget cut. The LPC/Chabot College board of trustees has also placed Measure I on the Nov. 6 ballot, which is a $28 per parcel tax that would provide $5.6 million per year to both LPC and Chabot. Measure I requires a two-thirds vote to pass; Measure 30 can pass with a simple majority vote. Walther is urging voters to approve both Prop. 30 and Measure I. N
Visit Town Square at PleasantonWeekly.com to comment on the editorial. Page 10ÊUÊOctober 5, 2012ÊUÊPleasanton Weekly
PUBLISHER’S NOTE BY GINA CHANNELL-ALLEN
Tri-Valley Heroes: We’re looking for a few good men and women The proverbial unsung hero: We all know one or two. These are the individuals or groups who keep doing what they do to make our community and lives better but very rarely get the recognition they so richly deserve. We are happy to announce that we will recognize the true, yet often anonymous, Tri-Valley Heroes this holiday season through a series of feature articles honoring eight individuals or groups for their positive influence on the Tri-Valley and the lives of its residents. We will feature two Heroes each week beginning Nov. 23 and concluding Dec. 14. We want to recognize those individuals, groups or organizations that stand out because of their actions, integrity or honor, whether that hero is a firefighter who rescues a child from a burning house, the girl who is courageously battling leukemia, the business that allows its employees to mentor teens for an hour a week, or the neighborhood group that cleans up the creek. Awards will be given in the following categories: Arts and Cul-
LETTERS Blended rail? No! Dear Editor, High Speed Rail: Don’t waste money electrifying Caltrain. Your trains could not safely use its tracks. With 43 at-grade road crossings, with unprotected passengers waiting at Caltrain platforms, that’s inviting train delays, accidents and the demented. Save the cost to electrify Caltrain, tunnel in San Francisco, and later tube under San Francisco Bay for HSR to Sacramento. Far better — and much less costly: Upgrade (grade separate, multitrack and secure) UP/Amtrak via Mulford from Santa Clara to West Oakland. (This line would also be shorter, straighter, faster and safer for Capitol Corridor.) Where BART crosses over the UP/Amtrak line (by I-880 and Seventh Street), add a new intermodal station. As for unified regional rapid transit, plan for five-County BART around the Bay. Prepare a balanced plan with these elements: ■ Assure completion of BART to Berryessa and on to Santa Clara; ■ Convert Santa Clara-Millbrae Caltrain/UP to three tracks (two
ture, Community Spirit, Courage, Environmental Stewardship, Innovation, Rising Star and Role Model. The Lifetime Achievement award will recognize an individual or group for contributions, leadership, enthusiasm and tireless efforts on behalf of his or her community, county and neighbors. We are calling for nominations. This awards program is being conducted in all four Embarcadero Media East Bay divisions, which include the Pleasanton Weekly, Dublin TriValley Views, Danville Express and San Ramon Express. Individuals who work or live in Pleasanton, Dublin, San Ramon, Danville, Blackhawk or Alamo are eligible, as are businesses located in these areas. If you know a person, organization or group deserving of recognition, complete the form at http://tinyurl.com/ Tri-ValleyHeroes. Nominations can also be emailed directly to gallen@ EmbarcaderoMediaGroup.com, but make sure all the information requested on the form is included. Nominations must be received by 5 p.m. Oct. 15. We are also looking for sponsors for the program and for the individual awards. Any individual or group can sponsor. Please contact me directly at gallen@EmbarcaderoMediaGroup.com or call 6000840, ext. 119, for information. We hope you find this opportunity to recognize the unsung Tri-Valley Heroes as exciting as we do! N BART, one UP); Convert San Francisco-Millbrae Caltrain/UP to an SF Muni Airport Express/UP line; ■ Extend BART to the Golden Gate and Carquinez bridges, to Brentwood, and over the Altamont; ■ Buy more BART cars and provide abundant parking; and ■ Bring the plan and funding to the voters of the five counties. Today’s BART started 50 years ago with a $792 million bond measure paid off over a decade ago. (Adjusted for inflation and the current five-county population, an equivalent bond measure today would yield about $16 billion.) Let the voters decide on a unified BART-based rapid transit system for their 6 million residents. Robert S. Allen, BART Director, District 5, 1974-88 ■
Top candidate Dear Editor, Karla Brown is one of the most intelligent, knowledgeable people we have ever met. She is an incredibly hard worker, gathering information, attending meetings, participating in city functions, and being part of community groups and functions. Her support for
Pleasanton Weekly PUBLISHER Gina Channell-Allen, Ext. 119 EDITORIAL Editor Jeb Bing, Ext. 118 Managing Editor Dolores Fox Ciardelli, Ext. 111 Online/Community Editor Jessica Lipsky, Ext. 229 Reporter Glenn Wohltmann, Ext. 121 Contributors Jay Flachsbarth Jerri Pantages Long Kerry Nally ART & PRODUCTION Lead Designer Katrina Cannon, Ext. 130 Designers Lili Cao, Ext. 120 Kristin Herman, Ext. 114 ADVERTISING Account Executives Carol Cano, Ext. 226 Lorraine Guimaraes, Ext. 234 Karen Klein, Ext. 122 Ad Services Cammie Clark, Ext. 116 BUSINESS Business Associate Lisa Oefelein, Ext. 126 Circulation Director Bob Lampkin, Ext. 141 Front Office Coordinator Kathy Martin, Ext. 124 HOW TO REACH THE WEEKLY Phone: (925) 600-0840 Fax: (925) 600-9559 Editorial e-mail: editor@PleasantonWeekly.com calendar@PleasantonWeekly.com Display Sales e-mail: sales@PleasantonWeekly.com Classifieds Sales e-mail: ads@PleasantonWeekly.com Circulation e-mail: circulation@ PleasantonWeekly.com
The Pleasanton Weekly is published every Friday by Embarcadero Media, 5506 Sunol Blvd., Suite 100, Pleasanton, CA 94566; (925) 600-0840. Mailed at Periodicals Postage Rate, USPS 020407. The Pleasanton Weekly is mailed upon request to homes and apartments in Pleasanton. Community support of the Pleasanton Weekly is welcomed and encouraged through memberships at levels of $5, $8 or $10 per month through automatic credit card charges. Print subscriptions for businesses or residents of other communities are $60 per year or $100 for two years. Go to www.PleasantonWeekly.com to sign up and for more information. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Pleasanton Weekly, 5506 Sunol Blvd., Suite 100, Pleasanton, CA 94566. © 2012 by Embarcadero Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited.