"Permanence" and "gravitas" come with a hefty price tag. The council members can do what they like as long as they don't expect the citizens of a small city, such as Mountain View, to pay for this behemoth - and as long as they don't remove a single heritage tree in the process.

Remember it was only a few short months ago (Jan 2023) when then Mayor Lucas Ramirez, together with council members Ellen Kamei and Pat Showalter, expressed concerns about cost of a special election to fill the vacancy left by Sally Lieber. Web Link

$2 million was the estimated price tag.

Ramirez said it would be really nice to have “funds for things that the community will actually NEED” (Web Link ~1.35.10), implying that the public's right to choose its political leaders doesn't even register on his radar as an important “need”.

We have since learned that the city is in good financial shape! Web Link

And now the CC has approved $165 million for a new public building, one that they hope has "gravitas"!

We have $165 million for a building, but not $2 million to allow VOTERS to express their will? Seriously?

Shame on Lucas Ramirez, Ellen Kamei, and Pat Showalter. I never thought I’d see such disregard for voting rights in little old Mountain View.

Never forget that by filling the seat themselves, the CC essentially silenced the voice of voters when it came to the new Housing Element. Never forget that the new Housing Element benefits developers, Google, and high-wage earners far more than MOST residents who call MV their home.

re: "Council members voiced concerns about the design not having an alternative exit to the parking garage in case of emergency."

That's a problem the City is creating by closing access to Evelyn from the Police station. Access is closed to make way to a very expensive ramp onto the Shoreline overpass. City could solve that emergency access issue and save a ton of money..... by not building that ramp and letting transit center traffic go from Evelyn to Franklin to Villa to Shoreline.

That was Lisa Matichak asking for "gravitas". At least she's consistent about wanting to spend more money.