Fremont mayor re-elected
by vertig0 on Nov 5, 2008 9:15 AM PST
Email
PrintIncumbent Fremont mayor Bob Wasserman won re-election last night, defeating councilman Steve Cho and former mayor Gus Morrison, whose attempt to turn the race into a referendum on Cisco Field fell short.
Excerpting myself from the ballpark blog:
Incredibly, the results paint a rather favorable picture for the A's and their hopes to get the baseball village built. Several potential obstacles in Fremont have been removed. Incumbent mayor Wasserman, who has been the staunchest public proponent of the project, will stick around to see it through the EIR process at the very least. Wieckowski, also a supporter, will be there as well. They'll be joined by Chan, who is also a project supporter. Neither of the project's biggest critics, former mayor Gus Morrison and Sierra Club chapter leader Vinnie Bacon, placed higher than third in their races.
Is it smooth sailing from here on out? Not quite. Wasserman may have violated election laws in recuiting students from local high schools to campaign on his behalf. The fallout from that is unknown. The EIR still has to pass muster. The council has lobbied hard for concessions and so far the city and the A's have been able to find common ground. There remain issues to work out with private parties such as nearby businesses and landowners, but those are very doable. The upshot from tonight is that there won't be obstructionists making the decisions. That's not to say that the council are yes-men - far from it, in fact. Instead, the governing body should be of an open-minded view to make a deal that works for Fremont's residents, not one that derails it in service of a narrow agenda.
These results effectively act as the nail-in-the-coffin for any future formal referendum on the ballpark project. Now it's onto the environmental impact report, which I suspect will be released sometime in the next couple of months.
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Thank you for your continued work!
I am Ray Fosse's infatuations with Clay Wood and high-definition television.
Well look at that,
something resembling a small step towards progress.
by Streams Of Whiskey on Nov 5, 2008 9:40 AM PST reply actions
don't the fremont voters have to vote on this?
and they’re not too happy with the current traffic…
Two-thirds of the earth is covered by water, the other third is covered by Kotsay...in his prime...like 3 years ago.
Nope
If the mayor and city council want to put it to a public vote they can. They have so far shown no interest in doing so. If there were a bond issue associated with this, it would be a different story.
so...politically they are cleared to build (assuming environmental report is ok)?
Two-thirds of the earth is covered by water, the other third is covered by Kotsay...in his prime...like 3 years ago.
That's right
The biggest hurdles right now are the EIR process, negotiations with neighboring businesses and landowners, and financing. The city is only involved in the EIR.
And financing
It's not the results, it's how you look going about those results -- Tim McCarver
by WaddellCanseco on Nov 5, 2008 5:29 PM PST up reply actions
It sounded to me like Wolff was really down
on the businesses and landowners in the area when I interviewed him. Does that seem to have changed?
by Tyler Bleszinski on Nov 5, 2008 8:25 PM PST up reply actions
Afraid not
Then again, that’s always been their stance. Everyone’s trying to get something out of the deal. Legally, the A’s aren’t required to give much of anything, but these concessions are being made in the guise of being good neighbors.
Well as long as they aren't legally bound to
doing something for those businesses, then they don’t have much negotiating power, I suppose.
by Tyler Bleszinski on Nov 5, 2008 11:11 PM PST up reply actions
boy, I tell ya ...
Someone could come up with a cure for cancer, and Lew would complain about it.
Did you overpay for those eggs? @('.')@
They already did
You merely have to mate a human with a Cylon and extract the blood from the baby
au contra ire
yeah i heard they were trying to do that at Mass General
[google searches cylon]
oh.
Save Rajai Davis
and BART-to-San Jose
which might help the traffic…is losing but it’s too close to call right now
Two-thirds of the earth is covered by water, the other third is covered by Kotsay...in his prime...like 3 years ago.
Nope they don't vote on it.
That’s why this mayoral race was essentially a referendum on the stadium project. If they didn’t want the stadium, Morrison was the guy to vote for. Cho was the candidate for those that wanted to vote on it. Wasserman was the guy to vote for if you wanted the stadium. And Wasserman won by a pretty hefty margin over Morrison and Cho. Seems to me Fremont has spoken, they support the stadium.
well this sounds like a smal victory...yes?
Two-thirds of the earth is covered by water, the other third is covered by Kotsay...in his prime...like 3 years ago.
If you wanted Cisco Field to be built, yes.
This was good news indeed. It would have been better news had the BART extension into the south bay been approved, but it’s still too close to call at the moment. It was only losing by .4% at last check.
It's an extremely difficult proposition
to garner a two thirds majority vote. It’s incredible that the proposition came as close as it did. While it may be frustrating for the activists who are attempting to spearhead the BART extension, they have to be encouraged at the level of public support expressed by the voters in the region, especially considering the current economic climate.
"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer
Chron has a nice article on it too
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/04/BATQ13RVUH.DTL
Looks like they’ve taken a more bold view of what the vote yesterday means.
"Wolff would change the team's name to the Athletics at Fremont,"
just so long as it isn’t A’s @ Fremont.
anyone want to carpool me there?
BB should send scouts to watch cricket players.
by alea iacta est on Nov 5, 2008 12:43 PM PST reply actions
I think the Chron misquoted Wolff
He’s consistantly said the name would be “______ Athletics at Fremont”. The city name to be determined later, either remaining Oakland or becoming San Jose.
At least once, he's said
that the “_________” is something they can “sell.” I wondered what that meant, whether that spot would indeed be a city, or if he meant it might be a corporate sponsor.
"God doesn't pay attention to your cute little hypotheticals." -- Jeff from LL
I think he meant city
But which city is more marketable, which sells better. The Oakland name has certain intrinsic, sentimental and of course historical value to it, but it also has a lot of negative baggage associated with it both from issues in Oakland and of course the Raiders. San Jose is the opposite story, doesn’t have much baggage, but also doesn’t have the historical, sentimental or intrinsic value either. So it’ll come down to which name can generate more buzz and money for them, Oakland, San Jose or Silicon Valley.
I think it's rather
obvious that the potential move to Fremont has always been about marketing one of the regions two teams heavily to the south bay population base. With that in mind, I have little doubt that we will soon see the debut of the San Jose A’s @ Fremont. It wouldn’t make the least amount of business sense to do otherwise.
"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer
True enough.
That’s what I think will happen as well. Sad that Oakland will be cut loose, but they’re smaller, have less money, and are less influential at this point than San Jose. And frankly Oakland has no one to blame but themselves (the city gov’t). This move is just continuing fallout from the Raiders fiasco in the 90’s as will the Raiders possible move in the near future be. They never should have invited the Raiders back.
Nonsense
You don’t blame someone for doing the right thing. You congratulate them. The City of Oakland has no business handing out more corporate welfare to wealthy team owners. If the A’s want a new ballpark, they can build it and pay for it themselves. If there’s another city willing to do that for them, they can pack up their sh*t and move. They may move eventually but I don’t think it will be to Fremont.
Root for the Giants? Not even if they're playing al-Qaeda!
He is saying that it is Oakland's fault that they DID give that big handout to the Raiders,
and at the same time essentially gave the big Fuck You to the A’s. After remodeling the stadium for Football use, it was only a matter of time before the A’s moved. Oakland made the decision then which team they wanted to keep.
facepalm.jpg
That was a different administration
Just as it was different administration that gave a big F*ck You to the Raiders when they brought the A’s in.
I’m not a big Jerry Brown fan but he did the right thing by steering clear when the A’s came to City Hall with cap in hand.
Root for the Giants? Not even if they're playing al-Qaeda!
What are you talking about?
They didn’t give a big f-u to the Raiders. The Coliseum was built for the Raiders AND an MLB team (which ended up being the A’s). The Raiders knew that when they moved in during 1966.
Then why did they handout a stadium to the Raiders... twice?
And the A’s are doing exactly that. They’re paying for their own stadium… in Fremont. Fremont has the land to make their stadium plan w/o public money work. Oakland doesn’t. And add to that, that Oakland hasn’t done anything to help the A’s get a new stadium, with or w/o public money.
sell the ____________?
so it’d be like a department store?
Nordstrom’s at Fremont?
my vote goes for
The East Bay Baseball and Other Sporting Apparel Franchise Athletics of Fremont.
Best. Team. Ever
BB should send scouts to watch cricket players.
by alea iacta est on Nov 5, 2008 2:09 PM PST reply actions
plus
i should learn how to hit the reply button.
i blame the socialists in washington
BB should send scouts to watch cricket players.
by alea iacta est on Nov 5, 2008 2:09 PM PST up reply actions
My vote is for
The Silicon Valley-East Bay-Inland Empire Triumvriate Commune Athletics of the Fremont, Newark, Union City tri-city area
We can have the letters spiral around the jersey and put the numbers on big foam hats!
Play more Conan!
after last year
i was calling them the Triple A’s of Fremont.
honk!
BB should send scouts to watch cricket players.
by alea iacta est on Nov 5, 2008 2:20 PM PST up reply actions
Unfortunately there was not enough roadside service to fix that wreck!
AAA, get it?
wokka, wokka
Play more Conan!
see what i did there
eh? eh?
oh.
BB should send scouts to watch cricket players.
by alea iacta est on Nov 5, 2008 2:27 PM PST up reply actions
We need to broaden our fan base...
They need to go with Earth A’s at Fremont.
In search of a new signature. Say something funny and you may see your comment here!
Thanks for your coverage of this, vertigO.
I’m not exaggerating when I say that you run my favorite one-man blog in America.
"Some of the men didn't wait for the women and children to jump off the sinking ship that is our season." - 67MARQUEZ
No kidding.
Easily the most reliable source concerning the A’s relocation effort.
"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer
Thanks
I have to admit that without access to any polling data, I was just a bit nervous last night. Long way to go still.
Funny!
I live over 150 miles from Fremont and yet the Mayoral race was the election that interested me the most last night. A National Socialist could have been elected to national office and I probably wouldn’t have noticed until this afternoon. My fandom is becoming most pathetic indeed.
"You may glory in a team triumphant, but you fall in love with a team in defeat."--The Boys of Summer
I wasn't that bad
But I have to admit I was only watching 4 things last night:
President
Prop 8
BART to SCC
and the Fremont mayoral race.
I was focusing on ...
President
Minnesota, Louisiana, Oregon and Alaska’s Senate races
Colorado’s 4th CD
Prop 1a, 4, 8, 11 … plus 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11 and 12 …
Colorado’s Amendments 46 and 48
South Dakota’s Initiative 11
Several of California’s Assembly races
The Sacramento USD School Board races (two of my friends were elected)
The Sacramento MUD Board Race (one of my friends was elected)
The Fair Oaks Parks District (one more friend elected)
"It's for your own good. Big strong Devo knows whats best for Poppy" -- Mossback
Prop 1a
I was following that too, because my wife promised a Disneyland trip to my daughters if it passed… dammit!
I read somewhere that if prop 1a passed Bart to San Jose could get mor emoney fromt he federal government as a “feeder line.” Does anyone know jack abotu that?
"San Jose A's at Fremont"
There might be something else that name sets the team up for…
Here’s an outlandish idea, 35 years down the road:
Could the A’s NEXT new stadium, say, in 2045 after Fremont is considered outdated, be more likely to be in downtown San Jose? Having “San Jose” in the team’s name, and moving much closer in proximity to downtown SJ, might be considered steps that move the team slightly closer in that direction.
Two things might’ve happened by then:
1.) The Giants might be under a very new and different ownership group.
2.) A BART extension might exist with a drop-off in downtown SJ at a new baseball stadium.
(Now be nice, I prefaced it by saying it was outlandish and 35+ years away).
"Some of the men didn't wait for the women and children to jump off the sinking ship that is our season." - 67MARQUEZ
3.) The Fremont site might be underwater...
"God doesn't pay attention to your cute little hypotheticals." -- Jeff from LL
He said 35
It's not the results, it's how you look going about those results -- Tim McCarver
by WaddellCanseco on Nov 5, 2008 5:32 PM PST up reply actions
The Athletics Nation Athletics @ Fremont
You know we can do it ! I’m in for $1000.
by green star oakland on Nov 5, 2008 3:47 PM PST reply actions
Nah, sounds too much like the Raider Nation
The less connection the A’s and Al Davis’ joke of a football team have the better. That’s one of the prime reasons the A’s are leaving the Coliseum.
Decades past maybe.
Right now about all they’re good for is losing and the circus sideshow that is their ownership. Oh and of course the reputation their fans have earned (which I wouldn’t term as "good").
That's a misplaced reputation.
Many of us are loyal (to a fault) and don’t engage in the extracurricular activities that give us that reputation. Gosh, a few hundred bad apples and we’re all bad (tongue-in-cheek).
I'm here to talk about the past.
Indeed
A’s fans and Raiders fans are essentially the same group. There’s a huge crossover. If you’re knocking Raiders fans, you knocking A’s fans.
Root for the Giants? Not even if they're playing al-Qaeda!
I disagree.
You’ll find a large number of A’s fans would could care less about the Raiders. I’m one of them.
AN is split 50-50 between Raiders and Niners fans
so, uh, unless Niners fans disproportionately make up the erudite segment of A’s fans, I suspect the overall breakdown is not too dissimilar.
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
I doubt that ...
I think AN’s demographics — in terms of age, we are predominantly of an age that would not have had much experience with the pre-LA Raiders, predominantly more educated than the norm, more affluent than the norm and disproportionately from areas other than Oakland and it’s immediate surroundings — all factors that I would guess tend to lead one away from the Raiders.
"It's for your own good. Big strong Devo knows whats best for Poppy" -- Mossback
Well that sounds kinda "Elite, don't it?
Not poor, stupid, or geographically attached?
"These Boston People Are AWFUL"
I'm not making judgements ...
but I think any impartial assessment would conclude that the Niners have a more educated and affluent fan base than the Raiders and that A’s fans who are attached to Oakland are more likely to be Raiders fans …
"It's for your own good. Big strong Devo knows whats best for Poppy" -- Mossback
I resemble that remark.
And further more, I ask that you meet me in the parking lot.
For a tailgate, of course.
I'm here to talk about the past.
to be clear, you are saying
ANers are young, brilliant, rich, well-traveled people.
I think you are forgetting some things (handsome, poetry in motion), but I more or less agree.
Save Rajai Davis
Just wondering...
…were you one of the people who followed Russ Coughlin’s lead in the late 70s, urging the circus sideshow A’s to get out of town so the Raiders could have the Coliseum to themselves? It’s real easy to kick ’em during the down times. I choose to stand by our Oakland teams through thick and thin.
Root for the Giants? Not even if they're playing al-Qaeda!
No
I’ve always stood by the A’s. As I’ll stand behind their decision to move to Fremont if that’s what happens.
The Raiders...
The Team of Debacles
99 MPH with as much control as a deflating balloon - CurveballKing on H-Rod
How about this
Fremont decides to change it name to Philadelphia Ca. Then they can once again be the Philadelphia Athletics.
Stomp,em, stomp the piss out of em.Then pound the budweiser after the game. Joe Schultz Seattle Piolts Mgr 1969
Reminds me of the "California Brigade" in the Civil War
True story: One of the senators wanted California to be “represented” in the Union Army, so, in an early form of name-brand advertising, he “bought the rights” to several Philadelphia-raised regiments and numbered them “California” regiments.
Some time later, it was realized that this was idiocy and they were given Pennsylvania regiment numbers. Unfortunately, the idea appears to have outlived the realization that said idea is idiotic.
[Still more irony: A few companies of legitimate California residents actually enlisted in a Massachusetts cavalry regiment, but there was never any serious consideration given to making that unit a “California” regiment.]
Your 2008 Athletics: It's Nothing Personal.
Better than changing to Kansas City, CA.
"God doesn't pay attention to your cute little hypotheticals." -- Jeff from LL
We already have a Pittsburg,
Might as well have a Philly in there too.
"No matter what I talk about, I always get back to baseball." -- Connie Mack
Parking Lot Re-Elects Mayor
A's v Giants "is kind of like the difference between going to see the Ramones and going to see the Bee Gees. A's fans will go see the Ramones." -BB 07/27/05
In related news
From what I’m reading at the new A’s Stadium blog it appears the parking lot north of Auto Mall Parkway for Cisco Field has been abandoned by the A’s. Apparently they couldn’t work out a suitable deal to use the land so they’re going to plan B east of 880 with a ped bridge across the freeway.
Another election result that would be a factor
if Fremont fails—Kevin Johnson, the new mayor of Sacramento, is on record in Sacramento magazine saying he would support an effort to bring the A’s here. If the new TV deal goes through, that item would also be in hand. Probably a 5% chance or less it would happen, but I think Sacramento is now the most likely destination for the A’s if they can’t stay in the Bay area.
"PECOTA can pretty much kiss my ass."-Nico
Let's have KJ build a record first
If KJ can blow through local Sactown politics the way he could the paint, they’ve got a shot. If he can’t the chance have to be far less than 5%. Financing issues would still be paramount.
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