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Just as in the time of Caesar’s reign over the Roman Republic and his assassination in 44 BC., there appears to be an abundance of activity in this mid-month “Ides.” Shakespeare popularized the notion of caution as Caesar was warned repeatedly to avoid Senate chambers on that fateful day; he ignored the advice and paid the ultimate price. His demise, however, ushered in a relatively peaceful Roman Empire.
In our time, the Ides, based on a lunar calendar, is a bit hard to pinpoint, but the changes coming in this turbulent month are hard to avoid. National debates portend political chaos in major political parties; we can assume the local equivalent will soon begin. Just as historical ides warned of significant change, so does our local landscape provide both a cautionary tale and the possibility of a long and prosperous result. During this time development proposals will be numerous, but the result of land use changes is not so clear. Assumptions based on future patterns of customs and behaviors, especially when applied to infrastructure and transportation, can be misleading. Wishing that behaviors will change within a particular timeframe in contrast with the reality of how and when it occurs can be vastly different.
As with the passing of Caesar in his time, the truth of any result is in the eye of the beholder. Declaring that patterns will change is not certain but supporting and setting realistic goals can provide a good chance of realizing expectations. The Ides is a good time to pause and examine our inventory of amenities, essential for the physical and mental wellbeing of citizens.
We are witnessing the turbulence that results when planning is biased toward positive aspects of construction without an adequate balance of social consequences. Stability can be achieved when schools, parks and recreational activities are included as an important counterbalance to unfettered growth. Caesar was warned of unpleasant consequences… so too should our City Councilmembers take heed.
This year the Ides include the reminder of past missteps by Fremont City Council. The conviction and sentencing of past City Manager Mark Danaj who served in the Fremont administration, a marred role as City Manager of Manhattan Beach and subsequent selection as Fremont City Manager raises a question of Fremont’s hiring practices and diligence procedures. Another disturbing issue is the question of Fremont’s sales tax collection. It had been reported that the city of Cupertino is facing a large repayment of sales taxes from Apple sales. A similar problem appears to be surfacing for the city of Fremont related to sales tax.
The challenge of this Ides of March is to closely monitor local government. The Ides are upon us and the warning is clear. Will we listen?
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