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members opposed this innovation. They told me, “parking atop the res-
ervoir is a violation of the California State Earthquake Code.” I couldn’t
imagine why this should be a hazard. I therefore asked to see the code
provision. At about that point the general manager of East Bay MUD,
who had entered the discussion, said, “There is no such provision in
the earthquake code.” Their objections thereby collapsed. They then
developed a proposal to build a road and separate pedestrian walkway
to the top of the dam and to asphalt halfway across the dam to create
parking. Parking fees were set to pay for this. The resulting construction
proved to be so popular that East Bay MUD later extended the asphalted
parking area all the way across the top of the dam. Now, thousands
of people every month use this facility, which has now been improved
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major recreation center now amid beautiful surroundings and the access
is both easy and safe. This is a community improvement that will go on
for scores of years. I am delighted and proud to have had a critical part
in its creation.

It must not be thought that all the major projects I supported
were approved and implemented. Near the end of my ten years on the
City Council, I strongly supported a proposal to rehabilitate old play-
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$80 per household for about ten years. Unfortunately, I could not secure
the support of a majority on the city council. They were afraid to sup-
port a tax increase. Gayle Uilkema in particular had never supported the
imposition or increase of any tax; she wanted to maintain that position
in order to further her political ambition. It is impossible, I believe, to
secure public support of a tax increase unless the proposal has the solid
support of the entire city council. There is no question that Lafayette
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to secure City Council support that would have corrected the problem.
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on the City Council was about 5 2/3 years long. I was elected for a sec-
ond term (again with far less expenditure per vote than any other can-

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