The County Election Department has validated 5500 of our signatures, well beyond the required 5,185 signatures to put the renewal of Measure P on the November ballot. And they still had hundreds more signatures from the 7000+ we turned in that did not even need to check! Our many volunteers achieved a remarkable 88% valid signature rate. Congratulations to all petition gatherers on achieving our first major milestone.
The following press release was issued 7/9:
San Mateans for Responsive Government
For release: July 9, 2018
Contact: Michael Weinhauer, Spokesperson
mweinhauer@gmail.com 415-264-8402
Petition Signatures Validated for November Ballot
The County Elections Division has validated the required 5,185 signatures to put a measure on the November ballot to renew the height, density and affordable housing protections in the San Mateo General Plan to 2030. Hundreds of the 7000+ signatures turned in did not even need to be checked to reach this goal, thanks to a remarkable 88% valid signature rate.
Spokesperson Michael Weinhauer said that “our group worked very hard over the past few months to collect these signatures, one-by-one, walking door to door throughout the city. More than 125 volunteers, representing virtually every neighborhood in the city, assisted in this grassroots effort. Residents continually thanked our volunteers for giving them an opportunity to vote in November on a very important city issue.” It is now up to the City Council to take action at their July 16 meeting to officially put the measure on the ballot.
In spite of this broad community effort, the Bohannon Company, San Mateo Building and Construction Trades Council and the San Mateo Area Chamber of Commerce are trying to prevent the measure from getting on the ballot. They also seem to be trying to get the City Council to place a competing measure on the ballot meant to confuse voters and to “carve out” exemptions to the height limits so that high rise buildings can be built on their own properties. Recently, a biased and misleading on-line survey has been circulated with the intent to undermine the renewal of Measure P. No one can deny the corrupting influence of big money in our government at all levels when these questionable political tactics are used to influence the political process.
Weinhauer notes that “it is fundamental to our democracy that residents be allowed to vote on this measure once the signatures have been verified in accordance with CA law. SMRG believes that these development issues should be discussed openly as part of the election campaign, not as part of an effort to suppress voters from having a voice in this very important issue. We anticipate a vigorous ballot campaign and welcome the community engagement it will involve.”
For more information check our website at: www.smartergrowthsm.com or contact us at: limitheights2018@gmail.com