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The public dispute between Palo Alto’s mayor and vice mayor over a ballot measure to fund Caltrain escalated Tuesday, when Mayor Adrian Fine fired off a missive defending himself from accusations that he had overstepped his authority in declaring the city’s support for the measure and accusing Vice Mayor Tom DuBois of favoring a “do-nothing approach.”
In a letter that he emailed to the mayors of San Francisco and San Jose, supervisors from San Mateo and Santa Clara counties and the boards of the various transit agencies in three counties, Fine defended his issuance of a Monday letter, on behalf of the city, strongly urging San Francisco supervisors to support placing a sales tax measure to fund Caltrain on the November ballot.
The move caught his colleagues by surprise and prompted Vice Mayor Tom DuBois to issue his own letter, explaining to the various city and county officials that Fine does not represent the full council, which has yet to discuss or take any positions on the issue.
While Fine had declined to discuss his Monday statement, he argued in his Tuesday follow-up letter that DuBois’ message was “disputatious and misleading” and maintained that his own letter was written “in full accordance with city council and city policies,” including the city’s legislative priorities and the council’s advocacy guidelines.
“In short, the letter is not contrary to my authority as Mayor; my colleague the vice mayor just disagrees with the substance of the letter and is using process to dispute that. It’s a pattern I’ve seen before, and it undermines the credibility our city has. Maybe that’s the purpose,” Fine wrote.
DuBois wasn’t the only council member who said he was surprised to see Fine take a position on behalf of the city. He told this news organization that he had spoken to council members Eric Filseth and Lydia Kou on Monday afternoon and neither of them had heard about it. Liz Kniss, who is typically aligned with Fine, also said she was disappointed in not receiving a warning from Fine about the letter.
While council members have generally supported finding a funding source for Caltrain, they have also expressed concern over the years about the governance structure of the rail service, which is overseen by the San Mateo County Transit District.
The argument over governance is now the main sticking point between the three counties where Caltrain operates (San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara) and the biggest barrier that the ballot measure faces.
Given the debate, DuBois and Kniss had both told this news organization that they would have preferred to see what the measure looks like before taking a position.
“This is a more complicated issue than just funding Caltrain,” DuBois said Monday. “There are a lot of governance questions that would need to be addressed before we’d commit to supporting a tax.”
Fine agreed in his Tuesday letter that, when it comes to the substance of the measure, there are “issues with governance, ridership during COVID-19, and the regressive nature of a sales tax.”
“But the focus on governance and process issues that the vice mayor raises — while some of them valid — is really just a road to nowhere, a do-nothing approach,” Fine wrote.
Fine wrote that he and his city support regional transit and called Caltrain a “vital part of our transportation network.” He also said he was “disappointed to air Palo Alto’s dirty laundry in a letter like this.”
“Personally, it’s become tiresome and predictable to continuously have the vice mayor run interference on the city’s business with which he disagrees,” Fine wrote. “I hope you all have colleagues who work in partnership and in service of your communities as you discuss and decide on the region’s transportation future.”
Mr Fine, it’s become tiresome and predictable to continuously have you, the mayor, run interference for parties you agree with concerning the city’s business without prior discussion and a vote by the Council (of which you are one of several) and of course, residents’ input and voices as well.
You seem to be belaboring under the presumption you, as the Mayor, can speak at will on behalf the City. You also seem to presume it is just the Vice Mayor that is interfering with your purported right to say/do whatever you wish in your role as the Mayor. Clearly there are several Council members AND residents who have just about had it with you.
You need to be disabused of that presumption right away. Alternately a lawsuit would achieve that purpose though expenses for defending your indefensible actions would be paid by us, the taxpayers. Unless you are willing and ready to sign a waiver releasing us of that liability and holding you personally responsible. Are you ready for that, Mr Fine? If not, shut up and spare us your “I’m the victim here” story that is the usual yarn of all bullies and such that do not respect or comply with boundaries.
Facts,
The fact is Fine was elected Mayor and you were elected to nothing.
Caltrain is collapsing and vote on a tax is an approach to stabilize it.
You can make your case against the tax and vote against.
But the FACT is you have no solution. Just another member of the Palo Alto NO brigade.
“Fine wrote that he and his city support regional transit and called Caltrain a “vital part of our transportation network.” He also said he was “disappointed to air Palo Alto’s dirty laundry in a letter like this.”
“Personally, it’s become tiresome and predictable to continuously have the vice mayor run interference on the city’s business with which he disagrees,” Fine wrote. “I hope you all have colleagues who work in partnership and in service of your communities as you discuss and decide on the region’s transportation future.”
Personally I find Fine’s “L’etat, c’est moi” dictatorial over-reach and dismissive arrogance to be tiresome. predictable and intolerable. While it’s been painfully obvious for years that Mr. Fine routinely and rudely dismisses the opinions of RESIDENTS. how dare he suggest he doesn’t have to consult the rest of the council and that he’s the sole voice of Paloi Alto on regional issues??
As for the dirty laundry.” how about discussing the new realities of what’s happening in Silicon Valley due to the pandemic — big companies like Facebook having half their workers work remotely, health experts saying to avoid public transit and the obvious dangers of density — instead of blindly supporting MTA and ABAG and their usual pushing for more density, millions of new jobs, 3,000,000 more people that even the Mayor of San Jose says will leave the suburbs screaming??
Remember how Mr. Fine loudly jumped into the Elon Musk’s drama supporting Musk’s threats to move the Fremont Tesla factory out of California if it didn’t open when Musk demanded? Now 150+ Fremont Tesla workers have Covid-19 and he’s unusually silent..
Enough with the pandering to the big money guys like Musk and those backing MTA and ABAG
Chris, Mr Fine was not ELECTED mayor by a popular vote; he was NAMED mayor by the city council some of whom are still under investigation for campaign finance irregularities.
Is the real-estate industry putting Liz Kniss out to pasture?
It looks like the real-estate industry has found a fresh face to push their agenda. Liz Kniss really has been a bit of an embarrassment for the industry with her indiscreet and rather clumsy handling of industry campaign funds in the 2016 election.
Another Giveway, don’t know about Kniss and the real estate industry but she’s termed out and has to surrender her seat om the PA City Council.
Speaking of which, what’s the filing deadline for City Council candidates?
>The fact is Fine was elected Mayor and you were elected to nothing.
Nonsense. The fact is Fine was elected to the Council. He was NOT elected Mayor.
Sure, I was not elected to “nothing”. However I have rights, protected by law, to vote and to insure elected representatives comply with the law and due process.
So what exactly is your point?
>Caltrain is collapsing and vote on a tax is an approach to stabilize it.
Perhaps. There is due process for such a vote on a tax.
Where is your outrage about Fine not complying with such due process and instead taking liberties with them (and not for the first time)?
>You can make your case against the tax and vote against.
Precisely. Give me and others the opportunity to make our cases. Your hero Fine seems to have preempted that by speaking on our behalf without our knowledge, consent, or approval.
Seems like you don’t know diddly squat about due process and are a nothing but a shill for Fine and his camp.
Is Fine reminding you of anyone? Say, someone who thinks he writes the rules, can do as he pleases, disrespects his colleagues. Does government have to be depressing at EVERY level?
Wow. Just wow.
It his hard to know where to start but I am actually glad that his Lordship Fine the First finds it “tiresome and predictable” that people he claims to be speaking for but didn’t actually consult, call him on what is fundamentally a lie. I hope it continuous to be predictable that he gets called on future lies and that it becomes sufficiently tiresome that he stops doing it, or if it continues to give him the vapors he can step down and, you know, actually talk with the commoners he claims to represent.
And, from the department of grammar department, someone should fill him in on what “running interference” means.
“the letter is not contrary to my authority as Mayor”
Nonsense. The letter you sent, Fine, is fully contrary to your authority as Mayor. Simply put, as Mayor you do NOT have the authority to speak on behalf the City and/or send out letters on the City’s letterhead without the knowledge, consent, and approval of the majority of your fellow Council members. Remember this: you are but one of several Council members; your “authority” as Mayor is temporary; as Mayor you have NO special privileges.
“my colleague the vice mayor just disagrees with the substance of the letter and is using process to dispute that”
Nonsense. Your colleagues (plural) disagree with both the substance of your letter and your failure to comply with due process. Your attempt to spin it otherwise only serves to diminish the already abysmal credibility you have.
“It’s a pattern I’ve seen before, and it undermines the credibility our city has.”
Tell you what, yes, I and other voters have seen this pattern before too. And, yes, it certainly undermines Palo Alto’s credibility. You certainly got that right. What you forgot to add: it emanates from you, Fine. It starts with you and your actions and nowhere else.
You are a lawsuit liability to the City and its taxpayers.
It’s time the City and its electorate do something to mitigate the risk you present.
Your enablers, for all their talk, would leave us taxpayers to pay the costs of your erratic, irresponsible behavior born of hubris.
Did it occur to our Mayor to instead apologize to his fellow council members and to Palo Alto residents of Palo Alto for claiming they agreed with him when they don’t necessarily?
This “I’m always right — even when I’m clearly wrong” attitude of politicians is destroying our country.
“But the focus on governance and process issues that the vice mayor raises — while some of them valid — is really just a road to nowhere, a do-nothing approach,” Fine wrote.
It is not a road to nowhere, a do-nothing approach… how immature and totally lack of due diligence of the immature and childish mayor. The Vice Mayor, Tom DuBois, is looking for accountability!
Fine is a staffer and not a leader and definitely not a Mayor. Pathetic Fine.
Tantrums aside, this episode highlights the difference between how DuBois and Fine view the Council role.
DuBois sees the elected role as fundamentally inward-facing and supportive, a servant to residents of Palo Alto.
Fine sees the role as primarily outward-facing and prescriptive, a mandate to wield Palo Alto’s brand to promote a regional ideology, and also impose that ideology on Palo Alto independent of resident preferences. State mandates like SB50 and its successors align to the prescriptive-ideology view: they take self-determination away from local voters and turn it over to regional and state entities. That DuBois opposes these, and Fine supports them, reflects their different interpretations of the Council role. Statements like “Governance and process are a road to nowhere” also represent the prescriptive-ideology view.
The two different interpretations of the Council role differentiate some of the current Council candidates. Voters should consider which view they more closely align with on Election Day.
I recall seeing a slate mailer with Fine, Kniss, and some of the other characters campaigning in 2016 with a picture of a smug Fine with “considers both sides” written under it. Even the empty platitudes on his campaign junk mail understate just what an arrogant, vapid leader he has turned out to be (recall the 10-day curfew in response to the zero looters that invaded our city).
Watching this guy flail around the job of representative governance very little different from watching Jared Kushner lecture the scientific community with introductory-level business-school jargon — complete lack of depth married to arrogance is a terrible way to lead, and Adrian Fine has demonstrated a Kushner-like combination of the two.
I hope Palo Alto Online does not double down on its endorsement of Adrian Fine and his 10-day curfew, especially with such a deep field this year. Kou is great. Tanaka, even as pro-development as he is, at least brings an expertise to the table that is unique to him (his depth of financial skepticism with the current budgets and long term liabilities). We got jobbed once with Wolbach. Then again with Fine. Can we please stop electing petulant, entitled man-children to the city council (with PAO’s endorsements) and stick with adults moving forward? Please?
Mr. Fine –
I live in Palo Alto. Your actions are contrary to my wishes. It’s not just Tom DuBois and the other city council members.
I think it is time that we change up the rules for how we get a mayor. I have not figured out how Fine did end up mayor but there is a substantial number of residents that totally disagree with his presence in that position. We need to elect the mayor as opposed to the PACC members shifting that position around based on political pressure within the PACC at any point in time.
At this time we have substantial pressure from the regional powers that be with SF legislators creating their next perfect world. Not to matter that that world tends to take place outside of the city they live in and is shifted to the peninsula because they have little control over their city which is spinning in it’s own current debacle. We need to look at our current legislative reps who are serving the purposes of the SB50 groupies – they are up for reelection at this time.
The bottom line is that the mayor should be approved by the residents.
Hey Hey, Ho Ho
Adrian Fine has got to go!
It looks like Mayor Fine is taking a page from the Trump playbook. The H… with the democratic
process!
While I agree there are some issues with Caltrain governance, that is not enough of a reason to hamstring the organization which provides one of the only effective transit options for our region. I am fully in support of Mayor Fine on this. The dissenting members of the Council will disagree with almost anything Fine says or does but he was in fact elected by both the community to the Council and then by his peers to be the Mayor. This is a clear case of the Mayor doing what he should to represent the majority of our community, and a vocal minority complaining about it.
@I support Fine
There is a legitimate debate about whether insisting that support for the tax should be linked to a path forward for Caltrain governance reforms. I support the tax and I support the need for reforms.
However you feel on that issue, Fine had the right to speak his opinion. However, he clearly misrepresented that he was expressing the position of the city council and the city government. Not only has the council not weighed in on the debate, it is clear that there are differing policy views on the council. In fact, Fine is the only council member who has expressed unconditional support for the tax with no linkage to governance reforms.
He subsequently claimed that his letter only supported placing the tax on the ballot rather than taking a position on the measure itself. That claim is clearly false as the lead sentence of his letter made clear. So he abused his office and then lied about what he had done.
Then he claimed that he was being victimized and that the criticisms of his actions were purely partisan and political, deflecting from the objective truth and accepting responsibility for his actions and he misled from the fact that some of his political allies also criticized his actions.
However you feel about what is the best policy decision, I hope you agree that our elected officials should act honestly and with integrity. This is not a one-off. Fine has repeatedly acted deceptively and abused his office, regardless of how one may feel about his positions.
Let’s face the facts that Adrian Fine was put in power by special interests who want to monkey-wrench democracy here. First, the Downtown interests, read “real estate” and later they pimped him out to a corporate behemoth Ford Motors.
He does not represent us, nor is he his own agent.
He should recuse himself on all matters pertaining to transportation or the proliferation of technology (e.g. self driving cars)
He told me he has made a decision about the election but won’t tell anyone yet. Which means worse than a lame duck, he’s out for collateral damage.
In my humble opinion.
The boy king just likes to see his name in lights even when he’s got no jurisdiction or facts to back him up? Recent examples include his support of that unreasonable 10-day curfew and his loud support for Elon Musk’s threat to leave CA if he couldn’t open his Fremont factory when he wanted.
Does Fine think he’s mayor of Fremont, too? And where’s his statement admitting he was premature /wrong now that 150+ Tesla workers are reported to have Covid-19?
Wow. The boy king is not chastened. His arrogance is really quite stunning. Great to see we have so many civically minded citizens stepping up to replace him this November!
I was wondering when, or if, Adrian was going to announce his candidacy for re-election. Now I see that since there are so many reasonable, mature people running for Council, he has decided that he isn’t running at all. So he can vent his immature frustration for all to see. Sounds familiar.
Welcome back, Pat Burt! You served us well in the past and I’m looking forward to your return to council. I know that statement is premature and wishful thinking, but I hope it comes true.
>> Fine >> “But the focus on governance and process issues that the vice mayor raises — while some of them valid — is really just a road to nowhere, a do-nothing approach,” Fine wrote.
Unfortunately, Fine’s statement betrays his lack of understanding regarding how Palo Alto’s governance works. He seems to think our structure is like that of New York City. It isn’t. I do realize that he wishes to turn Palo Alto into NYC West. I disagree with that also.
Sadly, Fine’s bullheaded approach to this will only hurt Caltrain. I am a strong supporter of Caltrain, but, not Fine.
Announced in today’s UPDATES from the Library: We are FINE FREE!
If only . . .
With due respect Mr. Johnson whose sons were my contemporaries — and at least one of the twins served our country— but the last thing Palo Alto needs right now is a macho bullying misogynistic white guy in charge.
Good work here by Mayor Fine! You absolutely did NOT overstep your authority and that IS a great name for Tom: “Do Nothing Dubois.”
Just typical of that Tom! I bet it is tiresome and that you are exhausted because of Tom and his constant nonsense, and I am sorry you have to work with someone like that! Whenever our Great Mayor tries to get anything done that TOM is blocking him every step of the way. “Oh I don’t agree…here’s another letter!” Stop it Tom.
That Tom Dubois needs to stop undercutting our great Mayor and needs to start respecting our Mayor’s authority! Sorry Tom, but you are NOT the Mayor. Stop undercutting the great Mayor Fine every step of the way to try to be fancy and look like you are “the people’s champ” to win favor with everyone. Know your role! You are the VICE Mayor. It is not a good look for you to bicker with the great Mayor Fine every time he tries to accomplish something. Things need to get done in this city so let Mayor Fine raise our taxes! It’s not your call, so stop undermining the credibility of our city!
Mayor Fine thank you for trying to increase our taxes to get this Caltrain initiative done and also thank you for backing the great Elon Musk in his time of need! Please run for re-election, and if you do please know you have the FULL backing of TVPOA. The only thing that I don’t like that the mayor did though was use the word “disputatious.” Just say “we had a dispute!”
This isn’t a spelling bee!