San Francisco Chronicle: Editorial: Alameda's Measure B is off base

Excerpt:

The developer enlisted by the city to oversee the transformation has put an initiative on the ballot that would severely constrain the city's influence on, and revenue from, a project bringing more than 4,300 homes, 350,000 square feet of retail and 3.1 million square feet of commercial operations.

If Alameda voters reject Measure BSunCal's ballot measure to redevelop Alameda Point. It was defeated by a vote of 85 to 15 percent on February 2, 2010. in a Feb. 2 special election - as they should - the city probably will be looking for another master developer when its exclusive agreement with SunCal expires in July.

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Examples of how Measure B clearly benefits the developer - but not the city of Alameda.

-- Public benefit. Limits the amount the developer must contribute to pledged "public benefits" - parks, ferry, library, trails, off-site transit improvements - to $200 million, well below city's cost estimate.

-- Fee limits. Identifies which city fees the developer must pay, leaving out about $80 million that would ordinarily be required. Locks in rates on the fees the developer will pay.

-- Control. Changes to the nearly 300-page initiative would require a public vote - unless the developer asks for them.