Anyone familiar with the Car Talk show on public radio will relate to the closing statement from Click & Clack, the Tappet brothers: You have wasted another perfectly good hour of your life listening to this show.

That's how I felt after attending the meeting with Charlotte Powers at Los Paseos.

The concerned citizens were polite and cooperative and asked genuine questions of how Charlotte would make her decision about the Coyote Valley power plant, and how could they be involved in helping her make those decisions; even offering to fund independent consultants to try to provide unbiased information.

The responses from Charlotte were vague and noncommittal and mostly defended the power plant proposal. She seemed to be concerned about Almaden valley, San Jose as a whole, and even the good of the entire state; everyone but the district 2 she was elected to represent.

When asked if she could name one positive benefit of the power plant to San Jose, she could not. Even the tax base revenue did not seem to have significant interest.

So if she could not find a benefit, and neighbors have objections due to pollution and property values why could she not take a stand against the power plant? She had no answer for this.

What is going on with this NON-REPRESENTATIVE form of government?

What is in it for her? She is a lame duck in that her term is coming to a close. Does taking a stand against this project put her at risk with some future political position or job? Will she be hired by Calpine at the end of her term like her previous aide, Lisa Poelle?

Or is this part of the political process in San Jose? The mayor touts that the council should be uniform and unanimous in its decision making process. Does that mean that all the council members need to vote in lock step?

I have been down this path before with Charlotte Powers on the group home issue. When pressed for six months about where she stood on that issue, she finally relented and said "I will vote the way the planning commission recommends." How's that for independent thinking?

The meeting included some little side notes about landscaping some median strips, and a dog park, and Charlotte was very proud about her accomplishments with these issues. These are of little merit relative to the power plant.

WE DON'T WANT ANOTHER FAIRCHILD, AND WE DON'T WANT ANOTHER CHARLOTTE POWERS!

I wish that Charlotte would do something in the coming year that would help me take back the above words. I can even envision a scenario where the power plant would be constructed, but I would feel satisfied with Charlotte if she represented the neighbors opposed to this project, and informed us how to use the system to influence the decision. If we fought and lost together, atleast we would take solace in the fact that we tried and we were supported by our elected representative.

Unfortunately, at this time, it seems that Charlotte represents the interests of Calpine.