As a small business owner in downtown Livermore over the past 45+ years, I signed to support the referendum. The Central Park Committee Plan is a far superior plan. To illustrate and explain The Central Park Committee Plan I’m putting together a series of short videos to help voters observe the differences. Part 4 is a short 3 minute video on the plan Web Link

Rich Buckley, your business (real estate) does not depend on the City Plan being built. All of the businesses that people enjoy are in support of the City Plan. Jean and Joan recently met with a group of downtown businesses (first time in YEARS) and it did not go well. Many of the business owners walked out on them after not getting ANY answers to their questions.

Your video is chop packed full of misinformation. I would stick to talking about chemtrails.

With regard to the Livermore down town referendum:

I'm with the city council. Legislation by ballot initiative isn't the way to get things done.
If you aren't happy with the city council then spend time electing a council member who supports your views.
I strongly urge standing with the city council and rejecting aggressive "pan handling" signature gatherers.

Ms. Reus’s statement that they provide “accurate information” is in fact not accurate. When she and Joan/Jean met with the downtown business owners, they stated that there is plenty of time to alter the hotel location because an east side hotel could not be built until the expansion of the I Street garage is complete. Essentially giving them until late 2022 to continue to mess with the design.

This is a false statement. The hotel can begin construction in early 2020. If they would take a moment to leave the back room of the Independent building to walk across the street, they would see a timeline of construction posted by the City at Livermorium Park. Clearly states hotel construction in 2020.

Misleading statements are the norm for her group. Confuse and destroy is their game.

Rich, why do you not allow comments on your youtube video? You have a lot of misleading statements and a few straight out lies.

1) There is no developer in waiting for a "west side hotel". That was proven here: Web Link

2) No other plan can be put in place as fast as the cities plan. Just putting it to a vote would delay downtown development longer. Let alone all the contracts and proposals that would have to be redone.

3) You say the Science center would benefit from foot traffic. Foot traffic to where? That trail would lead to soon to be built apartments.

4) The central park plan is not supported by any business with a storefront downtown (except the independent).

I am not surprised by someone playing loose with the facts that is a believer in chem trails.

The referendum should be supported no matter which plan you like - choice is good. It is not like the town council members and mayor have any special talents or experience that gives them a God-given absolute power over us.

The main issue I see with the alternate plan is in regards to Bill Dunlop, the president of the alternate groups. Bill Dunlop just used his personal reputation to push through a $245 Million school facilities bond in Livermore promising that none of the proceeds would be used for administrator pensions and salaries. Guess what happened the first year - $688,296 was spent on administrator salaries and pensions - and millions for an office in the Livermore hills for our $400k+ a year school Superintendent Kelly Bowers.
Web Link

Bill Dunlop did endorse more recently a school board member who kicked out an incumbent and now his wife is on the bond facilities oversight committee. Change has not come quick but it better come soon, otherwise people may think that if Bill Dunlop lied about the Livermore School bond then he is lying about the alternate plan.

Livermore Parent, no one is arguing the right to choose. A small group (3 people) are abusing the system with paid signature gatherers in order to try to get their way. The City process was totally transparent, took many years, and made the best choices based on available funding. It’s a waste of taxpayers dollars to continually use the referendum or initiative process to delay and destroy projects. Millions will be spent addressing their referendums.

If it were truly resident driven due to displeasure with a Council decision, they would not need the hired guns to collect signatures.

RDJR Thank you for your comment. You may be right. The evidence seems to indicate otherwise, however. My yearly revenues have been increasing on the downtown So my prosperity does seem to correlate positively to the prosperity of the businesses downtown.

However, "the downtown" to me is defined more or less as a map outlined by 4th Street on the South boundary, Pepper Tree Plaza center on the West boundary, Chestnut Street on the North Boundary and the First Street overpass on the East Boundary.

It's vitally important that at this point in my life I push to do the right thing as I am given to see the right thing. I call it seeking truth. The truth as I see it is my community is being lead in the wrong direction on the downtown by an inexperienced City Council. I support the superior plan of the Central Park Committee and I have sign the referendum petition.

In support of a prosperous downtown, my minor efforts have been to prepare 5 YouTube Videos entitled, "Livermore Referendum Central Park Plan", Parts 1 through Part 5. The videos are offered by me to dispassionately discuss the merits of the plan, point out oversights of the City Council (without malice) and offer insight into what makes the Central Park Plan a better plan. I post these videos where allowed on social media where people can and do comment, just like this site we are on now. I'm actually surprised my little videos are getting so much attention.

Rich, inexperienced City Council? Their collective service to the community greatly overshadows three people designing a concept in the dark recesses of the independent building.

I will give you a chance to display your greater knowledge of the "truth" as you put it. please answer one simple question.

How do you propose to fund the $25 million shortfall created by your supported concept? Bonus question, add another $10 million to the total when the Stockmen's Association pull their deal due to violation of their contract.

RDJR, Thank you again for your engaging questions. I covered some of your question in 5 short videos on YouTube under the heading "Livermore Referendum Central Park Plan" Part Six was just released a few moments ago Web Link I address using the Sunken Gardens as a pressure relief value for development in videos 3, 4, and 5. In Video 6 I just focus on the Residential Element of the Livermore Referendum Central Park Plan.

Rich, typical tactics of the group and their supporters. Never directly answer a simple question. Can’t answer the cost question? So you direct me to six videos on YouTube?

I proved my point.