Pleasanton Prominent watercolorists in new Weekly exhibit at Harrington Gallery» 15 6/,8)6 .5-"%2s*!.5!29 WWW.PLEASANTONWEEKLY.COM Saving our Council to vote Tuesday heritage on Historic Preservation law p12 NEWS 5 Cancer takes life of former Mayor Ken Mercer NEWS 5 Girls were ‘stripped of innocence’ with dad’s beating LIVING 14 MLK breakfast will feature inspirational speaker We love this place CAMPBELL 408.871.8890 MOUNTAIN VIEW 650.964.7212 CORTE MADERA 415.924.6691 SAN CARLOS 650.508.8317 925.866.6164 16 LOCATIONS IN CALIFORNIA, DANVILLE NEVADA & TEXAS www.thehomeconsignmentcenter.com Page 2ÊUÊJanuary 17, 2014ÊUÊPleasanton Weekly AROUND FD #429 LOCALLY OWNED PLEASANTON AND OPERATED SINCE 1891 BY JEB BING Burial & Cremation * Celebration of Life My services include: which is the most immediate li- Services Brown budget: ability constraining the ability of Reception Facilities Professional Home Staging the state to emerge from its fiscal Landscape/yard cleanup More spending troubles. Advance Planning Specifically, the budget makes a Made Easy House Cleaning/General Cleanup but fiscal restraint $1.6 billion payment into the Rainy Day Fund, also known as the Bud- for a free consultation Garage Sale/Estate Sale or in-home visit call owing to keep the state on get Stabilization Account, which Hauling to donation centers a path to long-term fiscal marks the first deposit since 2007, Vstability, Gov. Edmund G. and also directs $967 million to a Handyman Services/Contractors Brown Jr. has proposed a balanced Special Fund for Economic Uncer- *call For Details budget that pays off more than tainties. And, in lieu of Proposition $11 billion in debt and builds a 58 and ACA 4, the budget pro- lasting rainy day fund while con- poses a constitutional amendment tinuing to invest in public schools to bolster the Rainy Day Fund. and expand health care cover- The budget also continues to age for millions. This is certainly address the $25 billion “Wall of good news for Pleasanton and Debt,” directing more than $11 Deanna Moser 800-319-8991 especially the school district that billion to pay off past budgetary has faced troubled financial times borrowing. This debt, which to- 925.846.5624 since 2008. Now, with a decade of taled $34.7 billion in 2011, will to view our facilities visit: Find me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/seniorsrealestatespecialist intractable deficits behind us, Cali- be eliminated entirely by 2017-18 www.grahamhitch.com fornia is poised to take advantage under this budget. 25 Years in Real Estate 4167 First Street, of the recovering economy and Investing in education, the bud- CA. BRE # 00979099 FD#429 the tens of thousands of jobs now get provides an infusion of $10 bil- Pleasanton ® being created each month. lion in new Proposition 98 funding But given the vagaries of the this year. For K-12 schools, fund- business cycle, let’s hope the gov- ing levels will increase by $3,410 ernor and state legislators are vigi- per student through 2017-18, Prime THE PARKVIEW EXPERIENCE lant in their commitment of public including an increase of more than funds. Brown said that “wisdom $2,188 per student in 2014-15 and prudence should be the order over 2011-12 levels. This reinvest- Pickin’s of the day.” But then he quickly ment provides the opportunity ordered modest pay raises for state to correct historical inequities in employees, no doubt deserved school district funding with con- The Rotary Club after several years of salary freezes, tinued implementation of the Local of Pleasanton’s and has committed more funds for Control Funding Formula, which welfare projects. directs additional resources to stu- Remember that when Brown dents who need the most support: Garage Sale took office, the state faced a mas- English language learners, low- sive $26.6 billion budget deficit income students and foster youth. Pick through hundreds and estimated annual shortfalls of The budget also provides the of items – unearth your roughly $20 billion. The state has second year of guaranteed in- treasure. eliminated some of these deficits creases in funding of $142.2 mil- with billions of dollars in cuts and lion each for the University of January 18th new temporary revenue approved California and the California State by California voters. Independent University systems, predicated on 8am-2pm experts agree that California’s un- a continued freeze on increases in Amador Valley funded public employee pension student tuition and fees. obligations are becoming more and Strengthening the state’s in- High School Parking Lot Assisted Living. more of a budget problem, both for frastructure, the budget reflects 1156 Santa Rita Rd, Pleasanton state and local governments. Just the release of the state’s five-year five years ago, the California Pub- infrastructure plan, last produced lic Employees Retirement System in 2008, and includes an $815 Inspired by You. (CalPERS) reported that its un- million package of investment to funded actuarial accrued liabilities address critical deferred mainte- in its main pension fund for state nance projects in state parks, on Enjoy the independence you want with and local governments was over highways, local streets and roads the support you need. The Parkview’s $49 billion, consisting of about $23 and at K-12 schools, community billion for the state and $26 billion colleges, courts, prisons, state assisted living and memory care provide for other public agencies. Showing hospitals and other state facilities. For more info contact: a bigger problem, a report by the Implementing federal health care Nancy Pennell you the comfort, convenience, and care bipartisan Little Hoover Commis- reform, the budget invests $670 925.426.8316 sion found that the top 10 public million in new General Fund dol- [email protected] to experience a healthy, safe and employee pension systems in lars to expand Medi-Cal benefits, California, including plans for both including mental health, substance Funds raised go to purchase inspiring longevity. state and local government work- abuse, adult dental and specialized and distribute wheelchairs to ers, faced a combined $240 billion nutrition services. people with disabilities in Mexico shortfall as of 2010. Although Brown with the Leg- Call, click or come visit today and Fortunately, the significant de- islature’s agreement has addressed and South America. Tulancingo, tails of Brown’s proposed 2014-15 pension reform and too-early, too- Pleasanton’s sister city, is enjoy complimentary lunch. state budget include maintaining hefty retirements, pension debt scheduled for delivery this fall. long-term fiscal stability, strength- reduction should continue to be ening and investing in the state’s a top priority as considerations “Rainy Day Fund” and continu- get underway on the new budget ing to pay down the wall of debt, plan. N “Like” About the Cover us on 100 Valley Avenue, Pleasanton The Pleasanton City Council will vote Tuesday on a proposed historic preserva- tion law that will place tighter controls on how homes built before 1942 can 925-461-3042 managed by be remodeled, renovated or rebuilt. The measure is designed to maintain the architectural integrity of old neighborhoods in the downtown district. Photo by License # 015601283 www.eskaton.org Jeb Bing. Cover design by Rosanna Leung. Vol. XIV, Number 51 Pleasanton WeeklyÊUÊJanuary 17, 2014ÊU Page 3 Streetwise ASKED AROUND TOWN Would you be more likely to donate blood if you had the option of deciding where it goes? Sharon Tietgens Retired Yes, actually. When the Red Cross contacted me to let me know I have a very rare type of blood that qualifies me to donate blood to premature babies, and that I could request to have my blood donated for that purpose, I started donating more often. It is a great moti- vator for me to know that I’m helping these little preemies get off to a good start in life. Dick Tietgens Retired investigator No. I’m perfectly happy to let the donation center determine where my blood can best be put to use, and to then make sure that it gets there. TRY US FOR FREE!* GET STARTED TODAY. Kelly Jong WWW.CLUBSPORTS.COM | 925/271-0562 College student Sure, I’d be a little more likely to donate if I *Some restrictions apply. Must be a local resident, first-time guest, 21 years or older to receive free guest pass. One per could choose where my blood goes. But what household. ID is required. Expires 1/31/14. 7090 JOHNSON DRIVE | PLEASANTON, CA 94588 would really get me to donate blood more often would be if I could specify where I didn’t want my blood to go. You know, like if I could NORCAL Medical (APPY.EW9EAR request that it never go to a recipient who has Weight Loss abused an animal, or a child, or an elderly FROM!LLOF5SAT person. I understand that it’s not very realis- & Aesthetic Center Amador Valley tic, but if I could get that guarantee, I would Lose weight...and keep it off! After Optometric donate as often as possible. s,ATEST&$!!PPROVED-EDICATIONS For the Professional Attention s!6ARIETYOF(EALTHY$IET0ROGRAMS Your Eyes Deserve Nikki Bartels s3TAFFEDBY0ROFESSIONAL$OCTORS.URSES Volunteer at Valley Humane Society s,UNCH %VENING3ATURDAY Serving Pleasanton for !PPOINTMENT!VAILABLE Before more than 30 years. No. Not at all. I’m happy for my blood to s.ON -EDICATION0ROGRAMS!VAILABLE go wherever it is needed, and to whoever s/NEON/NE#OUNSELING Shauntrell lost weight on our Prescription Sunglasses program and you can too! might need it. s" 7EEKLY)NJECTIONS s56PROTECTION s0OLARIZEDTO FREE CONSULTATION REDUCEGLARE #ONVENIENT7EEKDAY Also Offering %VENING(OURS Botox® s 4REND3TYLED%YEWEARWITHEXCELLENT FRAMESTYLISTTOHELPYOUREYEWEARNEEDS $10/Unit s h.O ,INEv,ENSES#OMPUTER,ENSES s 3PECIALTYCONTACTLENSCARE INCLUDING Errasto Lopez Svetlana Burkhead, MD Unretouched clinical #24FORNEARSIGHTEDNESSREDUCTION Barristo 925-846-5614 photo taken while and scleral lenses for keratoconus frowning before and ANDIRREGULARCORNEAS No.