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<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center; tab-stops: 186.0pt"
align=center><B><I><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt">SaveBAREC No on Measures A and
B Committee FPPC # 1302295<o:p></o:p></SPAN></I></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"
align=center><B><SPAN lang=FR style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: FR">PO
Box 1029, Santa Clara, CA 95052<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN><A
title=http://www.barec.org/ href="http://www.barec.org/"><FONT
color=#800080>www.barec.org</FONT></A> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><B><U><SPAN lang=FR
style="FONT-SIZE: 14pt; mso-ansi-language: FR"><o:p><SPAN
style="TEXT-DECORATION: none"></SPAN></o:p></SPAN></U></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Tuesday, November 27, 2007<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; tab-stops: .75in"><U><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">Contact:</SPAN></U><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN>Kirk Vartan
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; tab-stops: .75in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1">
</SPAN>888-227-3280<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal
style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0.5in; tab-stops: .75in"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><SPAN
style="mso-tab-count: 1"> </SPAN><A
title=mailto:spokesperson@barec.org
href="mailto:spokesperson@barec.org">spokesperson@barec.org</A>
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"
align=center><B><U><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt">FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE<o:p></o:p></SPAN></U></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"
align=center><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt">SaveBAREC REFERENDA CAMPAIGN HAS
STARTED<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; TEXT-ALIGN: center"
align=center><B><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 16pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The
campaign to save 17 acres of open space in the City of <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Santa Clara</st1:City></st1:place> started with
the filing of ballot arguments with the City Clerk’s office on behalf of
community members committed to fighting the uphill battle against entrenched
developer interests who want to assume the site for market rate
housing.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">As
part of the February 5, 2008 elections, City of <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Santa Clara</st1:place></st1:City> voters will choose whether to
approve the City Council’s general plan and rezoning decisions to allow the
development or to reject those decisions.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The
SaveBAREC team attends the Franklin Mall Farmers’ Market each Saturday morning
to recruit volunteers and distribute lawn signs.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Nearby, the pro-development office gives
free breakfasts to its volunteers inside a rented office.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">“We
know we are going to be outspent in this campaign,” says Kirk Vartan,
spokesperson for the grassroots group. “We are here to fight for this
community.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Together, we collected
enough signatures to take the Council’s decisions to the voters. <SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>This shows strong support for our
positions.<SPAN style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>We are going to get our
message out and will look to the voters to not be fooled by the money and
misinformation we expect to be coming from the developers who want to build on
this property.”<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">The
former Bay Area Research and Extension Center (BAREC) site was owned by the
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">University</st1:PlaceType> of <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">California</st1:PlaceName> before being released to the State of
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">California</st1:State></st1:place>,
which in turn, declared it surplus property.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>The SaveBAREC campaign contends that the
property has regional open space and historical value and could better be used
as community gardens and as a pollution mitigation demonstration site.<SPAN
style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>While the issues are many, it is clear
the proposed development plan in front of the voters today is not the best use
for these last 17 acres of public open space.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">In
addition to the referenda, a CEQA action has been filed challenging the City of
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Santa Clara Environmental Impact
Report</st1:City></st1:place> for the housing development.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">For
additional details, visit the SaveBAREC No on Measures A and B Committee
website:<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><A
title=http://www.barec.org/ href="http://www.barec.org/"><FONT
color=#800080>www.BAREC.org</FONT></A>.</SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"></SPAN> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">[Note: The Green Party of Santa Clara County has
endorsed the
SaveBAREC campaign.]</SPAN></P></DIV></DIV></FONT><BR><BR><BR><DIV><FONT style="color: black; font: normal 10pt ARIAL, SAN-SERIF;"><HR style="MARGIN-TOP: 10px">Check out AOL Money & Finance's list of the <A title="http://money.aol.com/special/hot-products-2007?NCID=aoltop00030000000001" href="http://money.aol.com/special/hot-products-2007?NCID=aoltop00030000000001" target="_blank">hottest products</A> and <A title="http://money.aol.com/top5/general/ways-you-are-wasting-money?NCID=aoltop00030000000002" href="http://money.aol.com/top5/general/ways-you-are-wasting-money?NCID=aoltop00030000000002" target="_blank">top money wasters</A> of 2007.</FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>