July 8, 2008
Good afternoon Commissioners, my name is Mike DeNunzio. My wife Annette and I are residents of Golden Gateway Commons.
For purposes of identification: I’m a State Commissioner on Aging appointed by the Governor. I also served as a City Commissioner appointed by Mayor Brown where I was assigned to review Adult Protective Services. Mayor Newsom appointed me to his Council to End Chronic Homelessness; I helped write the city’s plan for Supportive Housing.
I want to talk about our seniors. This area has the highest percentage of seniors in the City, it also has densest per capita population, the most auto congestion, and the least open space.
The members of the Golden Gateway Tennis and Swim Club do not qualify for Wimbledon or the Beijing Olympics. Most are seniors, or will soon be, and they will be here a long time; today 60 is 40.
These facilities are vital for the health, recreational and therapeutic needs of seniors in this district, and the entire city. Frankly, they should be expanded, not reduced.
In this 21st century seniors will rely on community based home care services, not distant sanitariums. They will live active lives at home, near friends and family, in walk able neighborhoods with open space, safe from auto traffic and auto pollution.
Commissioners, this facility is open to everyone in the city; it deserves your protection. The first responsibility of government is to protect the health and safety o f citizens. This is about health and safety.
No comments:
Post a Comment