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Letters: 'Web of deceit'

Dear Editor,

The Lins have spent over $1 million in campaign contributions to foist their sprawl developments on us.

How? Because through their local proxies, the Lins, who are Taiwanese land speculators, sued the state to overturn the Political Reform Act's ban on those living overseas from contributing to local ballot measures.

Hong Yao Lin spent a whopping $440,000 to oppose a Tri-Valley initiative to prevent ridgetop houses and on slopes greater than 20 percent. And prior to that, Lins spent over $500,000 on ballot measures for Kottinger Hills and massive subdivisions in East Dublin.

To silence the voters, when Pleasanton citizens started an initiative to prevent ridgetop houses and on slopes greater than 25 percent and to referend Oak Grove, Hong Yao Lin spent $37,841.07 to stop signatures from being gathered with a political committee run by Hosterman's and Cook-Kallio's campaign consultant and Jerry Thorne's treasurer.

Now the developer is bombarding residents with fancy PR-created mailers, letters and telephone calls with false information. They are even trying to fool voters saying the Oak Grove monster mansions are on flat land and not on the ridgetops. Not true! Don't believe the developer's web of deceit.

On June 8, Vote No on Measure D.

Anne Fox Editor's Note: Anne Fox is a former member of the Planning Commission

Posted by Stacey, a resident of the Amberwood/Wood Meadows neighborhood, on May 28, 2010 at 9:35 am
Stacey is a member (registered user) of PleasantonWeekly.com

Responsible voters will vote based upon the pros and cons of the project itself, not upon the personalities involved.

Posted by Thomas J., a resident of the Danbury Park neighborhood, on May 28, 2010 at 9:11 pm

I get it. I'm voting for measure D. It's good for me, and its good for Pleasanton.

Posted by Dina R., a resident of the Carriage Gardens neighborhood, on May 29, 2010 at 8:07 pm

I get it, too. The Mayor has been wonderful for this town and if she thinks this is good, I do too. I already voted for it.

Posted by not voting with the mayor, a resident of the Downtown neighborhood, on May 29, 2010 at 8:52 pm

Sorry, I think the Mayor is out of line going around lending her name and office to the developer to try to cause undo influence. I think it is unethical - and I dont' like it at all. I did not elect her to use her name for mass mailers paid for a developer.

Did you?

Posted by anonymous, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on May 30, 2010 at 7:17 am

The city council approved the development by a vote of 4-1. As far as I am concerned Hosterman is letting us know that the city approved this development and then why she supports it. There was a ton of time and money spent by the city to do this right. You can see that by looking at the letter the former five mayors wrote for the Pleasanton weekly. The mayor is supporting a project she encouraged.

Vote yes on Measure D

Posted by Ton of money by developer, a resident of the Bonde Ranch neighborhood, on May 30, 2010 at 1:17 pm

I heard from someone at Farmer's market that the developer has spent over $379,000 to market their development to the people. Isn't that excessive for a landowner in Pleasanton? She said a run for Mayor costs about $30,000 so this is 12x that amount!

Posted by curious, a resident of the Another Pleasanton neighborhood neighborhood, on May 30, 2010 at 4:55 pm

ToMbD, you received some bum info. Check the City website but I believe Steve Brozosky spent some $87,000 in his first run for Mayor. And interestingly he had no problem taking money from the developer in question supporting Oak Grove. Surprise, he's now on the No on D side--been alot of flip flopping on this issue by the politicians.

Another interesting piece of info is that the husband of the author of this letter made the largest single donation to the no on d campaign committee. Ironically, he is NOT a US citizen!