I want to call attention to the wonderful support that the Los Gatos Outreach program has received from a number of local service clubs and individuals. This program, which operates out of St. Luke's Episcopal Church on University Avenue, involves six religious congregations. We have for more than a decade provided food, clothing and other services to the homeless and needy citizens of the town. St. Luke's wants to thank those who continue to volunteer time, money, food, clothing, sleeping bags, etc., to help make our program successful.

The Los Gatos Community Center holds a party for seniors every holiday season. Each participant is asked to bring cans of high protein and nutritional food to contribute to our pantry. The Rotary Club and the Kiwanis Club have both made generous contributions, most recently toward the renovation of St. Luke's kitchen, so that we can serve our clients more effectively. Clyde Laird, assisted by several other members of the Lions Club, did a masterful job painting our kitchen once the remodel was completed. Students from Fisher Club Live are regular helpers at the Tuesday soup kitchen. St. Mary's fourth- and fifth-graders have served and entertained at our outreach Christmas Party the past few years. Special needs are supported by the Los Gatos History Club and by the American Association of University Women.

This holiday season, volunteers from four congregations will be stationed near the Sunday Farmers' Market with a Salvation Army kettle. Out of all contributions collected, 90 percent will be designated for our Los Gatos outreach program. We hope townspeople will be generous.

—Jo Greiner, Outreach Director, St. Luke's Episcopal Church


Dubois answers editorial

Referring to your editorial on Dec. 10, you incorrectly quoted me. I did not ask Sobrato to include a soccer field in its plan "among the residential and office units."

Sobrato has apparently negotiated the use of some of the adjacent Santa Clara Water District land for a green open space. What I said was: "This piece of opens space has little physical relation to the project and may go unused, inviting unwelcome behavior." To add to community benefit, I offered a suggestion for Sobrato to "use their influence to negotiate a long-term lease on behalf of the youth of our community." The SCVWD land is planned for transit parking, and won't be needed for that purpose for many years, making it possible to "solve an immediate need while looking for long-term solutions." As you stated in your editorial, Sobrato has "offered to locate soccer facilities." My statement clearly stated that it was a "suggestion for them to think about."

And, by the way, my only "platform" is to uphold the General Plan, which is what I was appointed to do.

—Paul Dubois, Los Gatos


Town tree has some history

Your coverage of the Christmas tree lighting and parade in the Dec. 3 issue was outstanding, and a warm and wonderful read. Los Gatos is truly a special place to live. It takes many concerned citizens working together to make the town even better.

But we should also take time to remember those in the past who started the town, and set the pattern for what it is today. I make special reference to the town's beautiful Christmas tree, lit Dec. 5 with hundreds of families looking on with delight as the light switch was pressed and the tree and the plaza glowed.

Our Christmas tree is celebrating its 80th birthday this year. Here is its history:

It was planted by The History Club of Los Gatos in 1923. Each year since 1897, the town leaders asked these busy ladies if they would decorate the town square, and this they did by putting up a cut tree and decorating it each year. Ever frugal, on Jan. 12, 1923, they decided to plant a live tree in the square. Minutes of this transaction read: "President Cohen appointed Mrs. McMurtry and Miss Gilbert to be on the committee with Mr. Mabie to arrange for the planting of the permanent Christmas tree. In March 1923, Mrs. Mary McMurtry of the tree committee reported that a cedar deodora had been planted on the green in front of the Hotel Lyndon as a community Christmas tree."

Yesterday's and today's Los Gatans deserve a round of applause for continuing this lovely holiday event.

—Sara Morabito, The History Club of Los Gatos


Some tough questions for Union board

The Union School District board continues to make decisions that are not in the community's best interest. In this case, deciding how to balance their deficit budget, they have given the option of closing schools or additional taxes for local homeowners. Wouldn't it be nice to at least know what schools would be affected by closures that they are proposing without additional tax revenue? I just hate paying more taxes, especially when the request for it is nebulous.

The first area of contention is the district response, waiting until after the election to list the necessary school closures. Wouldn't it be prudent to explain now which schools were at risk? This is typical USD politics; for maximum fear tactics, keep the community in the dark so that everyone suspects they will be affected with school closures. Is this board so naïve as to think the community will sit quietly and go along this time?

The telephone survey that was conducted to gauge public opinion did not show community support as the board had anticipated, so the numbers were adjusted with a revised survey. I wasn't contacted, were you? Is the board aware that the district will foot the bill for this expensive election if this measure doesn't pass? I for one would like to know how much risk the district has here. What is the projected cost of this election? Can a school district in financial difficulty afford this expense? Who makes these bad decisions anyway, and are they held accountable for them?

I suggest that in this new era of government/politics, consider a recall of no confidence. At least as the board members cycle through for re-election, vote no. This will of course require committed and qualified representatives from the community to step forward and replace these positions. It is indeed time for a change. And while we are at it, also time for a change with the offices of superintendent and chief financial officer.

It's also time for an independent audit of this district. Where exactly does all the money go? How many paid administrators does this district employ? What are their salaries? Does the district really need all these paid positions? What would be the savings to eliminate positions? Why is it that the cost cuts have come in the way of reduced teachers' salaries, loss of teachers' jobs, loss of elective classes?

This school district has also continually rebuffed the community, knowing fully that there is a lack of fields and gymnasiums for community use. It continues to be the district practice to make it difficult in acquiring use permits for fields and gyms by sports leagues for after-school use. Maybe this would all be easier with new board members.

Has anyone considered the impact to families that don't use the public school system? Families that pay to send their children to private schools get hit once again with another tax increase, even with their non-use. How fair is this? What about all those unemployed? They are again being asked to tighten the belt. I suggest another look at the alternatives.

—Jeff Brown, Los Gatos


Where were the parade pictures?

I am puzzled by some recent coverage in the Los Gatos Weekly-Times. My wife and I look forward to your paper each week, as we live in Los Gatos and enjoy reading about the events and happenings in our community. We especially looked forward to the Los Gatos parade coverage and wanted to forward the article and some pictures to family and friends, since we told them of our participation and the fun we had. However, we were disappointed that this week's coverage centered more on the gardening section than the parade.

Can you let us know why there weren't any pictures of all of the many people who attended or pictures of the many floats that adults and children took so much time to prepare?

—Tony Baricevic and Susan Pignataro, Los Gatos


Patriot Act is not the answer

When is everyone going to finally wake up to the Bush administration's total disregard for the truth? The Patriot Act's purpose of stopping terrorism (letters, Dec. 10) has about as much truth to it as Bush's reason for invading Iraq—remember, we were going to find Saddam Hussein's "ready in 45 minutes" weapons of mass destruction. Seizing library records? Come on folks, is this really going to stop a suicidal terrorist?

The U.S. needs to take a step back from its current jackboot strategies and address the real reasons why we're the target of terrorists. Attacking the Constitution like it's a Third World country is certainly not the answer.

—James Diaz, San Jose