With all the new high-density housing, the council should focus on helping the district to find money to fund new schools. The existing schools are over crowded, and causing traffic issues that can be dangerous to our children.

"I think we should not consider raising taxes," said council member Ronit Bryant. "Let's see what we can do with what we have."

OH MY GOD. What a concept. This should be plastered on the walls of all council meeting rooms.

Yes. Let's make do with what we have.

I totally agree.

No "undeserved" areas, I hope, but "underserved." If you were to hyphenate it thusly -- under-served -- then your spell-check program wouldn't miscorrect it.

I strongly favor grade separation at all MV streets that cross the railroad tracks. That said, I also want to wait until a final decision has been made on high speed rail because, if it actually comes, its design will determine whether the streets go over or under the tracks.

Is the City really looking for "One way around voter approval"? Regardless of how they ultimately get funded, isn't each of these infrastructure project large enough to warrant voters input?

Hey City Fathers and Mothers....
Back the heck off.... MtnView is a small potato town.... we don't need to "keep up with the Jones'"..
Our parks are fine,our only "need" might be to upgrade radio and emergency communications... We sure as hell don't need a new police station.
Back off, enjoy the good life we have.

"The reality is the public doesn't really have these conversations we've had about what our needs are," said council member Margaret Abe-Koga. "A poll with no education done, you are probably going to get these kinds of results. We need to do a better job of educating the public and making a case."

Hold on to your wallets and purses as the re-education process begins.

'One way around voter approval would be for the council to approve a bond itself'
Getting around voter approval to spend OUR money on projects sold to them by staff clearly demonstrates an elitist mindset that they know best, and we the taxpayers should just shut up and keep paying our taxes so they can spend our money on projects we're just too stupid to understand.
Yesterday, the people of Palo Alto sent their city hall a clear message, and we need to do the same next November.
By the grace of God and good fortune, Mountain View has not gone the way of Vallejo, Stockton and other cities across the nation. Just because we have a strong business climate now, doesn't mean that it will be here forever.
We need to learn from other cities, cut back on our spending, put money away for that rainy day that will surely arrive.

Raise our taxes. Do you think we are stupid?
Where is all the increased revenue from the dot com's and out of control decelopers expansion you are ramming down our throats and that is ruining our town and turning it into a concrete jungle going?
If I were a council member I would stop looking for ways to spend ill gotten gains and start to polish my resume because next election you are "Outa here!"

Virtual consolidation of communications centers is with Los Altos and Palo Alto, not Sunnyvale.

@Fed up: I think you should re-read the article because they say that they are not going to raise taxes.

They say they are not going to propose increased taxes "next" election.
This is the same tactic used by many politicians as they keep coming back with a new slant until they get what "they" want.

said council member Margaret Abe-Koga. "A poll with no education done, you are probably going to get these kinds of results. We need to do a better job of educating the public and making a case."

"Making a case?" Doesn't this sound like brainwashing? 1984? Sheep?

"many voters don't share the council's enthusiasm for some long-desired new facilities."

They want, people don't. We will see these measures again.

Foolish people! If we were only a little smarter or better informed we would all demand these improvements. How frustrating it must be for our ruling class to be burdened with a population of simpletons.

I wonder just how extensive the TCE pollution is in this town. Your overpriced real estate might not be worth a dime.

Does this City Council even know/understand what MV residents want/desire?
Perhaps they should hold a non-agenda meeting to hear CITIZEN concerns, rather than each Council members' personal agendas.
Sorry, that might be too democratic.
Cheers