Scott Perkins Leads The Plan To Replace Thousands of Sycamore Trees At A Cost of $10 to $12 Million To The City

The City Forum last night revealed Scott Perkins' understanding of his role as City Council Member and it does not involve getting input from the San Ramon residents. Perkins, who is currently running for re-election, believes his role is to "lead" using his "experience," citing his 13 years on the council and prior military experience in support of his election to unilaterally decide what's best for San Ramon.

Perkins sits as Chair of the Finance committee and is overseeing the Renovations of the Library which had been budgeted to cost approximately $1 to $3.5 million dollars to the City of San Ramon and is now at $6.5 million dollars and still not complete. Now this same council member has decided to lead a plan to remove approximately five thousand Sycamore trees throughout the neighborhoods of the Bridges and Gale Ranch due to the 46 property damage claims which have cost the City approximately $40,000. This is in the face of resident opposition and a former City Manager's written caution that the current council's spending is "unsustainable."

While Perkins concedes that the City's primary income is derived from property values, Perkins made no mention of any research into how the removal plan would impact property values or what the residents, who purchased their homes with these trees, desire. Perkins advised that the City has already implemented this plan spending $300,000 dollars this year alone replacing "problematic" trees and without voter approval.