City Hall

Mar 192012
 
Mayor Stephen Cassidy: From Lawyer to Law Breaker in Just One Day?

Stephen Cassidy describes himself a consumer attorney, but since he became Mayor of San Leandro he has spent more time breaking the law than arguing it in court.  I have written before – and I have written to him – about some of the numerous Brown Act violations that the San Leandro City Council has committed under his leadership.  Unfortunately, he doesn’t seem to have any plans to stop and indeed is now moving ahead into actions that the law considers misdemeanors. At the last City Council meeting, Cassidy told Councilman Prola to ask John Chiang, the State Controller, to [Continue Reading]

Mar 122012
 
San Leandro City Council: No to Theater but Yes to Strip Bars?

Proposed Amendments to the Zoning Code would ban recreation and entertainment from the industrial area – but would allow “adult businesses” to continue. Ban likely to be unconstitutional and won’t help with the Faith Fellowship lawsuit. If Meyers Nave, the law firm that represents the City of San Leandro, gets its way, strip bars and peep shows could flourish in the industrial area of San Leandro.  But theaters, cinemas and recreational venues would not be welcomed.  Shakespeare would be OK, but only if all the actors were nude and got frisky with one another. At its next meeting, the City [Continue Reading]

Mar 042012
 
Short Recap on the Rules Committee Meeting re: the Ban on Entertainment & Recreation in San Leandro

Committee Members ask few questions, make fewer comments, decide to pass the buck back to the City Council. Thursday afternoon, the San Leandro City Council’s Rules and Communication Committee met to discuss the staff (read city attorney’s) proposal (read intense push) to amend the Zoning Code to ban entertainment and recreational use in industrial areas of San Leandro.  As one of the City’s attorneys made clear last week, the reason for the ban is to help on the lawsuit against Faith Fellowship. Every single non-staff speaker at the meeting: community members, the Chamber, business owners and yours truly spoke against [Continue Reading]

Mar 022012
 
Wanna have fun? Tell me how and win 2 tickets to "Salmon Fishing in Yemen"

Share your best ideas for entertainment venues in San Leandro. There is no doubt that San Leandro leaves much to be desired when it comes to entertainment.  We have a multiplex showing new releases, the quaint Bal Theater showing old movies and hosting special events, plays at the Conservatory Theater and comedy nights at The Englander.  And that’s pretty much it, unless you count high school sports & shows and the occasional political fundraiser.  No wonder San Leandro cops spend so much time busting people for selling dope – there isn’t much for young people to do in town other [Continue Reading]

Feb 212012
 
City Council Moves to Ban Entertainment in Most of San Leandro

It’s an Acknowledgement that they Violated Faith Fellowship’s Constitutional Rights but… is it good Public Policy? Unfortunately it seems that most of my analysis below was right.  Read this short update about the Tuesday night City Council meeting. Do you want to open a wrestling venue in the industrial area of San Leandro?  How about a comedy club, a lecture hall, a dance school offering recitals, a skating ring, something new and fun and family friendly? Right now, all you have to do is get a conditional use permit and you’re free to go.   But if you want to open [Continue Reading]