Great coverage, Indymedia.

As for SCRAP, can you provide a DOWNLOADABLE petition so other people can help out with the signature drive?

Please make the effort to sign a referendum petition to stop the Coast Hotel (Dream Inn) / Conference Center / 6 story parking garage project passed by a narrow margin of 4-3 at our city council.

The public should be allowed to vote on a $66 million expenditure of taxpayer funds, more traffic congestion, grave neighborhood impacts and environmental impacts to the area. Demand your right to vote on this issue!

Signatures are being collected at various sites around town such as Staff, the New Leafs, Westside Safeway, various spots at the university, the Farmers Market, and Trader Joe's.

If you can't get to any of those, signature gatherers will also be at the Main Library side entrance on all Saturdays in February from 10am - 1pm.

For more information or to help in this effort by passing referendums in your neighborhood call Bill Malone at 420-1133.

Send much-needed contributions to:

Santa Cruzans for Responsible Planning
PO Box 7564
Santa Cruz, CA 95061.

Since the city council is on a fast track to give away the keys to the company store, sometimes it takes the people to take their town back! Stop this Rotkin steamroller

As a fourth generation Santa Cruzan, it made me sick when they built the Dream Inn. This "turd" on steroids they are pushing now stinks even more, no matter how they dress it. If there is a panacea financially, it could be taxing tourists. We should also use local narcs to fine them a grand, every time they litter. Disturb local neighborhoods...tasered, and two grand.

It's interesting that most of the people at the drive are seniors. Where are all of the students? And where are all of the African Americans, Latinos, and Asians? Santa Cruz prides itself on cultural diversity and progessive housing but this is the worst decision everyone made. This city will continue to struggle financially because the hotel was not built. Until Santa Cruz establishes more small business incubators (like the city of Marina), people will ignorantly push larger businesses away. Bad decisions people ... you should be ashamed of your selfishness.