Back in the late 1940s and into the 1960s, the Peninsula was on the move. World War II was finally over. The economy was booming.
Families, lured by the favorable weather, easy access to San Francisco, safe streets and new homes sprouting almost by the hour, were looking to live here. A land boom was in full swing. At times it almost seemed as though earth-movers, dirt-haulers and other construction-related vehicles outnumbered automobiles on San Mateo County highways and byways.
Vast swathes of open space, courtesy of the breakup and sale of most of the great estates here, were ripe for housing, most of it affordable. There was plenty of competition among cities for the construction of new housing tracts designed for relatively spacious single-family dwelling units.
San Mateo, ever on the alert for marketing advantages and never shy about tooting its own horn, took a hypercreative promotional tack, going way out on a geographic limb: It billed itself grandly as “The Paris of the Peninsula.”
Paris? Really? Hey, why not? Maybe the growing burg didn’t have the Louvre, the Left Bank or the Eiffel Tower. But it did have Coyote Point, Bay Meadows Race Track and the Benjamin Franklin Hotel. And the Crystal Springs Dam loomed to the west.
What’s not to like? Paris, eat your heart out. We’ve got it all right here. Break out the bubbly! Ooh-la-la!
THIS TAX FIGURE CAN’T BE RAISED: A clarification is in order. An item in this space last week noted that Measure GG, a parcel tax proposed by the Burlingame Elementary School District, could be increased or decreased based on the district’s financial conditions. That was misleading.
The tax can indeed be lowered (as noted in the sample ballot analysis of the measure) if financial circumstances warrant, but it cannot be raised beyond 14 cents per square foot of improved property with a cap of $2,500.
The owner of a 1,500-square-foot home would pay $210 if the proposal is successful at the ballot box next month. The aim is to raise a fresh $3.6 million to bolster the district’s operating budget.
If Measure GG is given the OK by at least two-thirds of the district’s voters on Nov. 5, it would be the second parcel tax on its books. A current levy imposes a flat $256 per parcel. It is scheduled to expire in 2030.
Senior citizens and low-income individuals who are disabled can be exempt from Measure GG.
DINING DESIRES DASHED: There’s nothing quite so deflating as watching a tempting review of a restaurant on KQED’s Check Please, Bay Area and then discovering at the end of the segment that the enticing joint has been shuttered. You just spent about half an hour salivating at the prospect of visiting the highlighted dining spot. Then, oops, sorry about that. No soup for you. We’ll give KQED credit for one thing, though: At least the show is alerting us to the closure. In the past, it didn’t perform that basic function at all, leaving unwary viewers to fend for themselves.
DYSFUNCTION JUNCTION: To state the view that evaluating and paying professional sports talent is a decidedly inexact science is painfully obvious. Just look at Major League Baseball. Here’s an example of the entirely dysfunctional state of fiscal play when it comes to personnel contracts in that sport. Blake Snell, a pitcher for the nonplayoff San Francisco Giants, managed to work about half a season in 2024, a total of 20 games and 104 innings; he was paid $32 million, or $1.6 million per game. By contrast, the entire playoff roster of the Detroit Tigers made $18.4 million. Gee, which ball club was more cost-efficient this year?
NO ZOMBIE AGENTS: You have probably seen and heard the relentless TV pitch. A law firm that has been flogging its services via the tube for months without letup includes an eager spokeswoman who makes it clear that, “We have live agents available.” That’s a relief. The last thing we need is a cadaver assistant or a zombie employee without a discernible pulse taking our call for legal assistance.
John Horgan, who has been writing about San Mateo County’s ins and outs since 1963, beginning at the long-gone Burlingame Advance Star, can be contacted by email at johnhorganmedia@gmail.com
Please purchase a Premium Subscription to continue reading.
To continue, please log in, or sign up for a new account.
We offer one free story view per month. If you register for an account, you will get two additional story views. After those three total views, we ask that you support us with a subscription.
A subscription to our digital content is so much more than just access to our valuable content. It means you’re helping to support a local community institution that has, from its very start, supported the betterment of our society. Thank you very much!
Only subscribers can view and post comments on articles.
Already a subscriber? Login Here
Sorry, an error occurred.
Already Subscribed!
Cancel anytime
Thank you .
Your account has been registered, and you are now logged in.
Check your email for details.
Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password.
An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account.
No promotional rates found.
Secure & Encrypted
Thank you.
Your gift purchase was successful! Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in.
| Rate: | |
| Begins: | |
| Transaction ID: |
A receipt was sent to your email.
(1) comment
Thanks for another eclectic column, Mr. Horgan. I’d recommend folks vote NO on Measure GG. Remember, Burlingame teachers recently received a raise of more than 7% and these raises also count towards their pensions and benefits. Also, isn’t Burlingame building a new city hall? Didn’t Burlingame recently give their union workers a 15% raise? The government can always make up reasons to ask for more money but when it comes time to account for the money, they won’t bother. Instead they’ll propose another tax increase.
Vote NO on Measure GG. Money from this measure will mostly, if not all, go to paying raises and ever increasing pensions and benefits. I assure you teachers will be looking for more raises if they see more money from this measure.
Welcome to the discussion.
Log In
Keep the discussion civilized. Absolutely NO personal attacks or insults directed toward writers, nor others who make comments.
Keep it clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
Don't threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Anyone violating these rules will be issued a warning. After the warning, comment privileges can be revoked.