Dear Council,

The Park Theatre proposals set before the City Council for this Tuesday's meeting actually offer very little to the general public. The main beneficiaries are Mr. Duncan, Mr. Crittenden and the dance studio. This represents a very small group of people, and considering that they are land owners and children whose parents can afford expensive dance lessons, a group of people who are not necessarily in need of public funds.

The Public may get to see the neon Park sign again, but the establishment will still be a private dance studio--not a theatre. $500,000 is a lot to pay for a neon sign--especially when Howard Crittenden is probably legally responsible for restoring the sign at his own cost. $1,400,000 in a risky business venture for our sign is even worse. I say this as a lover of neon as an artform, the neon sign was beautiful, perhaps the city can put more pressure an Mr. Crittenden to restore it.

I urge you to vote against entertaining Mr. Duncan's proposals and instead direct the City Staff to put a rest to the Park Theater negotiations and move on to other issues.

Please consider using public money, and the Council's (as well as the Public's) time and resources to fund and discuss more pressing matters--such as helping recruit and retain police officers; adding traffic patrols; infrastructure improvements; health, safety, emergency and environmental programs; and increasing services for people, especially those people who need help and children at risk.

Respectfully,

Roxanne Rorapaugh

885 Sherman Ave

Menlo Park
Received on Mon Oct 1 18:18:19 2007