Letters to the editor

The Salinas Californian
Posted on April 28, 2007

No on Measures A, B; yes on C, D

Measure A is deficient in many ways, but the worst is that it doesn't meet Monterey County's housing needs.

The price of housing in our county is one of the highest in the nation. Even with the current slump in the real estate market, our county's median price of a
home is in excess of $600,000. This is due primarily to the law of supply and demand.

Far too many of our county's citizens are forced to live two and three families to a single-family dwelling. Studies confirm that such conditions are responsible for higher crime rates and unsafe, unsanitary living conditions.

Measure A proponents claim there will be more affordable housing if their Community General Plan Initiative passes on June 5. The fact is that the
Initiative will not provide more affordable housing, but 940 fewer units of it. That means about 3,800 of our citizens will be denied affordable housing.

The Board of Supervisors' plan, General Plan Update 4, is a more balanced approach for growth over the next 20 years.

Vote "no" on Measures A and B; and "yes" on C and D.

Edna Muther
Salinas