Malibu City's Latest Scam

By Sam Hall Kaplan, Community Contributor

Sadly, but predictably, the Malibu Community Land project has all the signs of a major bureaucratic boondoggle, a waste of public funds, and another abuse of resident trust and taxes.

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This in essence is my experienced opinion as a planning authority, design critic and among other renown diversions a former Malibu parks commissioner, in reply to the city's disingenuous request for comments.

Among the shams is a proposed $63 million community center and a pool, sure to rise to a $100 million, for a shrinking and aging population, now less than 10,000, and a further fracture of an uncivil civic center and maintenance yard featuring a visitor center distinguished by an empty trolley going no where.

Meanwhile, expect the flawed proposal to flounder, consuming the good will of credulous residents and cheered by inexpert, duplicitous councilpersons (those running for reelection), padding the bloated municipal payrolls of self serving city hall staff and the pockets of cynical consultants.

Challenged by this conundrum should be the assumed sincerity of the new city manager, and some informed citizen oversight.