Letters to the editor

The Salinas Californian
Posted on April 18, 2007


Vote 'no' on Measure A

On June 5, you will be asked to cast your vote on several measures that will affect the future of Monterey County.

The first one is Measure A, the Community Initiative Plan, designed by 18 nonprofit environmental groups who want to stop any and all development. The authors made no attempt to include anyone else from our diverse community. No representatives from
agriculture, industry or business were consulted. These are the people who provide the jobs that support our county economically. This is why there is so much controversy over the Initiative Plan. It is a plan designed for special-interest groups at the expense of property rights and housing for our county.

Initiative proponents have filed many lawsuits over the years in an attempt to stop rational developments such as Don Chapin's 100 percent affordable-housing development and a packing shed required to support one of our major farming businesses.

Measure A supporters refused to make a commitment to not file lawsuits to stop future development in the five Community Areas included in their own plan. The plan is so restrictive it will be virtually impossible to construct anything over the next 25 years without a vote of the people or a lengthy court battle.

There has been no Environmental Impact Report or any economic study on their version of a general plan. Without a study we are being asked to buy a pig in a poke.

Vote "no" on Measure A.

Donna Hollenstain
Salinas