Millbrae supports voter rights

Dec 14, 2023
Dec 14, 2023 Updated Apr 13, 2025
6

Editor,

In his Dec. 11 opinion piece, county Supervisor Warren Slocum suggests Millbraens are haters, and probably racist. We aren’t. Our opposition to the La Quinta project, and the city’s lawsuit involving Article 34, is about voter rights.

(6) comments

Tafhdyd Dec 14, 2023 4:43am

Hello Laura and Ken,

I have not taken a hard look at the situation you mention although I agree that I don’t want to see hotel and restaurant workers jobs go away. One thing often mentioned by folks when discussing such situations as the taking over of the La Quinta hotel is that other counties and cities have taken a more imaginative approach to similar situations. As I stated earlier, I have not followed it closely but I am curious as to what examples you can share about these other cities and counties are doing. It’s easy to say there’s a better way to do something but without a suggestion or example it is just talk.

Cathy Baird Dec 14, 2023 7:52am

The county is not killing off a business or putting people out of work. The hotel owners were willing to sell the business, and the county included privisions for the employees in their offer. This will be permanent housing for families and seniors, and that is a good thing for both the city and the county. The hate and misinformation coming out of Millbrae deserves condemnation.

Dirk van Ulden Dec 14, 2023 1:01pm

Cathy - don't dismiss concerns as hate. Why in the world would Millbrae want to give up a lucrative hotel that employs many and provides taxable income? Instead, the supervisors decided to yank that away and now provide for free housing and an economic burden on the city. There is no hate here but we need to scratch our heads and wonder what is going on? Are you inviting these seniors and indigents into your house or back yard? It is easy to push for such programs if they don't affect you personally. Why not house them in a remote, abandoned military base? Why in a fancy hotel? They would live more comfortably than many low income, working poor.

Cathy Baird Dec 14, 2023 6:13pm

Since I listened to all the comments in the supervisors’ meeting, I do feel justified in characterizing the concerns as hate, which I acknowledge is a cousin of fear. This housing is not free. Tenants will pay 30% of their income as rent. It would be much more costly to house people as remotely as you suggest, far from jobs, schools, grocery stores, and transportation. I am quite willing to welcome people into my neighborhood. You know very well that the suggestion you make repeatedly of inviting people into one’s home would not house many.

Not So Common Dec 14, 2023 7:18pm

Cathy, please answer Dirk's question, how many of these harmless people are you inviting into your home? And my question, are you building an ADU so you can house a homeless family and will you charge 30% below market and subsidize their utilities, food etc....?

Dirk van Ulden Dec 14, 2023 7:59pm

Cathy - thanks for your measured response. I still believe that hate is a very strong word to describe the opponents of this hotel purchase and repurpose. Hate is now normalized in our daily lexicon and it is troubling. Perhaps it has lost its true meaning.

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