Vol. XXVI, Number 34 • Wednesday, January 26, 2005 ■ 50¢ No sacred cows in city budget Page 3 www.PaloAltoOnline.com Check out the Weekly’s new online classifieds at fogster.com Naomi Brookner ■ Upfront Merchant hopes to help homeless, clean streets Page 3 ■ Sports Gunn boys’ soccer team closes in on title Page 27 ■ In Business Buzzwords that kill workplace communication Page 26 apr.com REDEFINING QUALITY SINCE 1990 R eading between the emotional line makes the difference between finding a house and a home. LOS ALTOS HILLS Set on a park-like 1+/- acre lot, this sharply remodeled 4bd/3ba home is located in the award winning Palo Alto School District and is in impeccable condition. Full of light, high ceilings, stunning views and ultimate functionality. $2,495,000 PALO ALTO Thoroughly remodeled Craftsman-style home located within a few blocks of restaurants, shops, Johnson Park, and excellent Palo Alto schools. This well- designed 3bd/2ba home boasts a rare blend of character and modern comfort. $1,675,000 PALO ALTO A great opportunity to remodel existing 4bd/3ba home or build the home of your dreams on large 10454+/-sf in the highly sought after neighborhood of Crescent Park. Award winning Palo Alto School District. $1,299,000 apr.com | PALO ALTO OFFICE 578 University Avenue 650.323.1111 APR COUNTIES | Santa Clara | San Mateo | San Francisco | Alameda | Contra Costa | Monterey | Santa Cruz Page 2 • Wednesday, January 26, 2005 • Palo Alto Weekly UpfrontLocal news, information and analysis Budget cuts: What will stay and what will go? Services to be ranked at Saturday morning meeting by Bill D’Agostino Both discussions could lay the cussion since they are budgeted “Top Five” priority, generate rev- groundwork for how the city ulti- separately.) enue or are required for the here will be “no sacred cows” when it comes to mately balances its budget for During Monday night’s meet- organization to run; balancing the budget, according to Palo Alto City 2005-2006; the local government ing, City Manager Frank Benest •Tier three: Services that is facing a projected $5.2 million gave a broad overview of how the enhance productivity or target at- T Councilman Bern Beecham. shortfall. A lower-ranked service city’s vast array of services could risk seniors or youth; and In fact, every city service — from police protection to recreation could receive a larger share of be ranked: • Tier four: All other city serv- classes to traffic calming — will be on display and ranked by the end those cuts, although the City • Tier one: Services that impact ices. of the City Council’s special retreat on Saturday morning. The city’s Council will have the final say. public safety or heath or are Those categories are not solidi- elected officials will also vote on the city’s new “Top Five” priorities (Utilities such as electricity and legally mandated; fied, and council members during the important early-morning meeting. trash are not included in the dis- • Tier two: Services that are a (continued on page 9) BUSINESS Bringing pride to Palo Alto’s streets Café owner heralds plan to help the homeless by Bill D’Agostino section of Caracas, Venezuela known as Los Palos Grande A has at least two obvious simi- larities to Palo Alto — they’re both affluent regions whose names mean something akin to “large tree.” Jean Paul Coupal, the gregarious owner of Palo Alto’s Coupa Café, is trying to add one more commonali- ty: he wants to start a program in Palo Alto where homeless adopt downtown blocks. Although city officials and other Norbert von der Groeben merchants are skeptical, Coupal — who opened the Venezuelan coffee shop eight months ago on Ramona Street — is aiming to start the worker program, which he’s tenta- tively titled “Project Pride Palo Alto,” on Feb. 14, Valentine’s Day. In return for tending plants and All night long cleaning streets, the homeless man or woman would receive tips, cloth- Stanford students (l-r) Craig Harbick, Alex Mallory, Marie Cannizzaro and Adam Freund dance at the Roble Gym Saturday night and beyond ing and food, explained Coupal, during Stanford’s first 24-hour dance marathon. The event raised more than $45,000 for AIDS research — topping their goal by $15,000 — and who divides his time between Palo burned countless calories. Music was provided by 2 Mikes from Jersey and the Exit 9 Band. Alto and Caracas. As envisioned by the cafe owner, the program would clean up the messy areas of downtown, reduce EAST PALO ALTO panhandling and give local home- less a sense of pride. “They’re going to build up a rela- Hope floats tionship with the businesses in the area,” Coupal said, comparing East Palo Alto 49er Academy kids dream big while downtown Palo Alto to a garden in painting panel of one of the nation’s largest blimps need of tending. The city sweeps the downtown by Alexandria Rocha streets once a week but between that ighth-grader Jasmine Perry two dozen students from the San time trash and dirt build up, espe- posed her pencil above a sheet Francisco 49er Academy in East cially from the nearby bars, Coupa E of paper last week and Palo Alto who participated last week manager Brady Barksdale noted. thought for a moment about her in an exclusive after-school art ses- “Seven days a week, I want my biggest goal. sion hosted by the nonprofit organi- Nicholas Wright place to look pretty.” After another short pause, she zation, Portraits of Hope. “The city wants to clean that up, wrote it down. “I want to be a pedi- The students’ goals were used as a the merchants want to clean that up, atrician.” And to get there, she launching off point for the larger but the question is, who’s going to would “do good in high school, project — to help hand paint one of do it?” asked Norman Carroll, who study hard and go to college.” the nation’s largest blimps, the Middle schoolers at the 49er Academy paint a decorative panel to be recently moved off the streets into Perry, 14, was one of more than (continued on page 5) displayed on the exterior of a large blimp. (continued on page 10) Palo Alto Weekly • Wednesday, January 26, 2005 • Page 3 ™ 703 HIGH STREET, PALO ALTO, CA 94302 since 1988 (650) 326-8210 CONNECTION Diamonds & Gems SAN FRANCISCO PUBLISHER Custom Design William S. Johnson Jewelry & Watch Repair EDITORIAL Our 261 Hamilton Ave. Suite 320, Palo Alto Jay Thorwaldson, Editor 650.322.1200 • Open Mon.-Sat. 10-6 Marc Burkhardt, Managing Editor Jennifer Aquino, Associate Editor diamondsofpaloalto.com Allen Clapp, Carol Blitzer, Assistant Editors Keith Peters, Sports Editor Town Rick Eymer, Assistant Sports Editor by Don Kazak Robyn Israel, Arts & Entertainment Editor Don Kazak, Jocelyn Dong, Senior Staff Writers Bill D’Agostino, Alexandria Rocha, Staff Writers Norbert von der Groeben, Chief Photographer A warrior’s hard questions Nicholas Wright, Staff Photographer Tyler Hanley, Assistant to the Editor & Online Editor ay Kimball is thoughtful and criticisms included the lack of vehi- Sue Dremann, Staff Writer, Special Sections careful when he voices his cle armor that led to a publicized flap Jeanne Aufmuth, Dale Benson, Lynn R concerns about the war in Iraq. Dec. 12 when Rumsfeld was publicly Comeskey, Tim Goode, Jim Shelby, Jill Slater, Susan Tavernetti, Robert Taylor, While some think the war was a mis- asked about it by a soldier while Contributors take, Kimball doesn’t go that far. touring a base in Kuwait. Molly Tanenbaum, Jamie Schuman, Editorial He can’t, even if he thought so. As “(With) what I’ve learned and what Interns Naomi Brookner, Photo Intern an active Army captain, he can’t crit- America has learned since the war, DESIGN icize his superior officers or Secre- certainly I think it is appropriate to Bridal Couture Carol Hubenthal, Design Director tary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. question some of the reasons and Judith Alderman, Assistant Design Director But what Kimball says carries some of the justification for why we TRUNK SHOW Diane Haas, Lynda Lumish, Sue Peck, Senior March 11 & 12, 2005 Designers; weight. A West Point grad, he served went to war,” Kimball says. Mindi Casillas, Ben Ho, Dana James, in the Iraq invasion as commander of Kimball believes it is his duty to Scott Peterson, Designers 3rd Squadron, 7th Calvary, which ask hard questions about the war. (415) 552-9774 PRODUCTION Jennifer Lindberg, Production Manager flew Kiowa scout helicopters. “That’s just part of what is expected 888 Brannan St., Suite 2065 Dorothy Hassett, Joan Sloss, Sales & Production His unit was the first to cross the of me as an officer because my oath San Francisco Coordinators Euphrates River —120 soldiers with is to support and defend the Consti- Easy access off 101 & 280 at the Gift Center ADVERTISING six armored vehicles to support the tution, and part of that is examining www.parisconnection.com Michael Howard, Advertising Manager Cathy Norfleet, Display Advertising Sales Assistant helicopters. On the way to the river, the reasons we went to war,” he said. Michelle Bayer, Jasbir Gill, Colette Jensen, his unit drove through a series of Display Advertising Sales night ambushes. Kathryn Brottem, Real Estate Advertising Sales “I’m really worried Joan Merritt, Real Estate Advertising Asst. “The next day, we crossed the Eu- Linda Franks, Classified Advertising Manager phrates, and for two days we were the National Guard Justin Davisson, Ana Gonzalez, the only American unit across the Evie Marquez, Maria Menche, especially may Irene Schwartz, Classified Advertising Sales Euphrates.