Letters to the editor

The Salinas Californian
Posted on April 20, 2007

Vote 'no' on Measure A

Maybe the Latino leaders Ruth Campobosso of Carmel Valley accuses of not caring "a deuce about poor people" know something about the needs of those people. That's why they and organizations that build affordable housing oppose Measure A.

Measure A claims to provide 2,440 affordable-housing units over 25 years. This might be barely enough for two generations of children from Carmel Valley. They are not as likely to need help with housing, coming from a community where 19 of 20 adults are high school graduates, every other adult is a college graduate and one out of five has an advanced degree.


Measure A can't possibly help the more than 60,000 children in the Salinas Valley's poorer communities who have few options. Half of their parents never went to high school, and only a third graduated. A college education is rare - roughly one person in 25.

How does LandWatch propose to house and employ these children - and their children -when its Initiative kills business and needed housing? If Measure A passes, these children will be grandparents before LandWatch's 25-year restrictions on development expire.

Alan Kemp
Aromas