Your Man Around Town!

You may say I'm a dreamer. But I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us. And the world will be as one. – John Lennon

The Good, The Bad, and The Where-Do-We-Go-From-Here. As you read this, the holiday season will be in full swing. By all reports over the Thanksgiving weekend (Black Friday thru Cyber Monday), our economy is thriving on many fronts. The San Mateo Daily Journal, November 27, 2017 article, Property Taxes Highlight San Mateo County Growth, has some key numbers for us in Foster City. Our growth is up 8.43% from last year. Don Horsley, President of the San Mateo County Board of Supervisors says, “It’s a good news story with a lot of bad side effects. The bad side effect is that people can’t live here. We know that about 62 percent of all the people that have jobs in San Mateo County commute from out of the county.” This one statement begs the question – what do we do about housing? The answer may not be as easy as 1-2-3, but more about where and when?

Speaking Out. Social media has become the unofficial sounding board for residents to voice an opinion on all matters regarding Foster City. I applaud this process, for our First Amendment is working. What gives me pause is some of the aggressiveness this format permits, in the form of NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard). The quality of life we have come to enjoy is at the forefront of these kinds of comments, but I’d like to remind everyone that we’re in this together – as a single community. These comments don’t happen all the time, most of the comments that come through are thoughtful and focused on meaningful issues, but I thought it’d be important to mention. For those who attended our Community Dialogue Series Session 3 on Transportation, recall that I asked for solutions and not just complaints. I was pleased to hear the variety of ideas that came forward and the positive approach we all took. In the spirit of the season, I ask that we continue to move forward in this productive direction with respectful, spirited conversation.

Save the Date. I am delighted to announce that on January 23, 2018, I will be holding a Town Hall Meeting along with City Manager, Kevin Miller. Full details on time and location will be forthcoming. This will be a chance for everyone to discuss any and all topics pertinent to Foster City. Similar to social media, I will share my opinion where necessary and provide facts to help facilitate. The difference will be we can now have a conversation face to face and work together to keep Foster City the best place to live, work, and play.

My warmest holiday wishes to all of you. I hope you spend quality time with family and enjoy each other’s company. There is no issue on this planet so important that we cannot all stop, enjoy, and appreciate those most important to us!

If you wish to comment or share your thoughts, please contact me at gpollard@fostercity.org or (650) 286-3505.

Gary