Self-aggrandizing Housing Advocates

I have to hand it to Cynthia Cornell.  I've been following Burlingame politics for 25+ years and I have seen very few people climb up on such a high horse as Ms. Cornell.  And that is saying something.  Rather than just opine about her, let's use her own words from a letter to the Daily Journal yesterday as evidence.  She is writing about a Peninsula Health Care District board meeting where she expects the board to just give away a huge chunk of B'game real estate to whoever can make "comprehensive 100% affordable senior and workforce housing" pencil out.  Any educated person knows that cannot be done without more taxpayer money being shoveled in at some point.  She then writes

There is no possible excuse to build any market-rate housing on public land during this housing crisis.

Really?  I'll bet I could walk into Lunardi's, Behan's, or Alana's and find dozens of people who might think "Gee, if it's public land perhaps the general public should get at least some of the benefit from its development instead of it all going to 'affordable' whatever".  They might think "mission creep" at our Health Care district is a bad thing.  Perhaps the community might think the sweetheart project on Lots F & N right downtown is enough of a public donation to her crusade.  She complains about board members Dennis Zell and Helen Galligan and puts words in their mouths that are quote-free and rely her impression of what was said, and then states

We (that would be the Royal "we") are shocked by the behavior  of these elected officials.  Were it not for the great leadership of Congresswoman Jackie Speier and support from state Sen. Hill and Assemblyman Kevin Mullin, D- South San Francisco, the board would continue to ignore the community voice.

What blather.  Her Highness Cornell doesn't speak for the community.  She doesn't even speak for a third of the community from where I sit.  The woman has never run for anything; never mind actually win an election.  Zell and Galligan are both well-known in the community for years and have won elections.  This stream of nonsense will continue as it has for some time as noted here.

But if either Zell and Galligan did tell Speier's staffer to "stay in her lane" as Cornell asserts in her letter, I say "Good on ya."  Maybe they should stay in their lane, let the local electeds do their job - which in my mind means keeping our Health Care district out of the housing business -- an take the consequences at the next election.

Comments

[JP]

Lot of ego invested in this little scam.

[Andrew Peceimer]

Cynthia,

My offer to teach you how to purchase a residential property is still good. Instead of spending a vast amount of time fighting and complaining you could use that time and earn additional additional money for a down payment.

Let me know if you have any interest!

[Bruce Dickinson]

Once again, Bruce Dickinson must quote myself, namely, Bruce Dickinson for another blurb of Dickinsonean worldly wisdom that I shared in the election thread and dovetails into what the poster Concerned said above:

"Look at the rent control proposals that were resoundingly defeated and represented a wholesale rejection of the externalities that rent control brings to cities such as San Francisco, Berkeley, Santa Cruz and Santa Monica (all rent controlled cities). Again, it was Burlingame residents coming out and saying "we're different, we don't want to be like them". So despite the fact that advocacy groups and candidates try really hard to change it, they get resoundingly defeated, over and over and over again. The reason: they don't really understand the overall pulse of the community."

This Cynthia person may have a local fan club, but let's face it, it's a tiny fan club that seems to hold membership meetings in an echo chamber! She and her minions would be far better off to focus their efforts on moving to a rent control-friendly city such as SF, Santa Cruz, Santa Monica, Berkeley where they would be welcomed with open arms and they would be amongst more like minded individuals. Compare that to "fighting the system" over virtually insurmountable odds by trying to get Burlingame on the rent-control bandwagon. The only thing crazier would be trying it in Hillsborough or Portola Valley!

Maybe they love the challenge, maybe they like to fight to change hearts and minds, maybe they're masochistic, maybe they have issues with boundaries and don't feel self-actualized unless they are pushing these boundaries..who knows...I'll leave that to the local psychiatrists!

What Bruce Dickinson does observe is that they don't really seem to be enjoying themselves very much and are seething with vitriol and anger, lashing out at every opportunity, blaming everyone yet providing little/no evidence (as Joe mentioned, what complaints from citizens?), making unconvincing, illogical arguments and literally putting their worst foot forward when making these proposals and dealing with the community and its leadership. It's totally backfiring, which only seems to get them more angry in an endless (and increasingly pointless) vicious cycle!

They would be a lot happier and will probably lengthen their life expectancies by moving to their utopia rent-controlled cities and enjoy everything they have to offer. Folks, life is way too short to be miserable all the time, do yourself a favor and invest in your happiness and mental well-being!

I know I did, and look where it got Bruce Dickinson! *wink*

[Barking Dog]

What came out of the Nov 13 study session?

[Barking Dog]

Did Cynthia really think that Ms Keighran and Ms Colson were going vote for YES on the emergency ordinance in advance of AB1482 becoming law 1/1/20, after months of trashing their names and families in OpEds in the SMDJ and on the HFAB website? For the renters that didn't get this protection they feel they were owed by the City of Burlingame, they can look directly at Ms Cornell and thank her. Keep poking the bear Ms Cornell, it's worked out so well for you and your 'so called' cause to this point...

[Bruce Dickinson]

At the end of World War II, the Allies had a very serious debate with respect to whether they should attempt to assassinate key people in the German high command. The thinking was that some of the battle decisions, many of which were directed straight from the top, were so bad that it was better to let them make poor military decisions and get whooped in these key battles. In essence that would lead to a quicker end to the war.

As mentioned by both BD's above, this Cornell person may be sealing the fate for rent control for many years to come via tactics that are completely backfiring and only causing extreme annoyance and fatigue. The problem is, that group is so fringe and so small, that I'm not even sure there is someone to pull an Alexander Haig and say "step aside, I'M in control now" and usurp power and really propel the cause forward with any hope of efficacy.

Herein lies the problem with an unpopular idea and one that goes against economic fundamentals and even common sense. Will be an uphill battle. As Bruce Dickinson said, for those who really believe in rent control, they can move to the other cities mentioned and live in their own utopia.

Win-win for everyone involved!

[hollyroller@gmail.com]

So anyway, has anyone out here gone out to see the City of Burlingame Fire Depts?