Karen Deloumi and Dennis Byron kicked off a petition drive this Sunday morning in the Town Plaza. Signing the petition puts an initiative measure on the Nov. 6 ballot requiring the town to spend up to $1 million to build the skatepark and up to $50,000 per year for its operation.
At the same time, skatepark supporters are urgently raising money. The terms of the ballot initiative specifically allow the town to spend the money raised to offset general fund money.
Both drives have met with initial enthusiasm from Los Gatans who support the idea of a skatepark and are frustrated by the six-year-old effort's sluggish progress.
"We're making our kids play in the street and teaching them to run from the police," Deloumi told the town council recently. Some opponents of the initiative are opposed to spending town funds on a skatepark, but some Los Gatans are concerned that the proposed location, on Miles Ave. next to Balzer Field, will be too dangerous.
Petition organizers must get 1,800 signatures of registered voters living in the town in a fairly short amount of time. The signatures apparently must be verified 88 days prior to the Nov. 6 election, which would be Aug. 9. Then, of course, the measure must win a majority of votes in November.
The Observer Joins In
The box in the left column allows anyone to donate to the skate park using Paypal. The money goes to your reporter, who will pass 100% to the town's fund. The town accepts checks only at this time. Send checks payable to "Town of Los Gatos" to: P. O. Box 949 Los Gatos, CA 95031. Note "Skatepark" on the check.
Petition Wording
Initiative Measure to be Submitted Directly to the Voters
A Proposed Measure Requiring that the Town of Los Gatos Spend up to $1 Million for the Design and Construction of a Skate Park, and up to $50,000 Annually for the Operation of a Skate Park.
The proposed measure would require that the Town of Los Gatos spend up to $1 million of its general fund monies to design and construct a skate park on Town-owned property located on Miles Avenue, and up to $50,000 of its general fund monies per year to operate the skate park, which would be free to all users. Construction and design or annual operating costs would be reduced by any contributions made to the Town.
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