Blog: We Must Vote Down Measure A

Dear Fellow Redondo Beach Voters:  

We must vote down Measure A, otherwise our city will be tangled up in litigation over this well-intentioned but badly written initiative for years. In addition to ongoing legal costs, if the property owner prevails, the damages awarded will most likely be substantial. It’s real simple, vote no and no lawsuit, and our city avoids wasting millions better spent on maintaining ample police protection and all the parks we already have.  

But let’s put aside the lawsuit issue and consider the following facts.  

Measure A provides us absolutely no environmental or fiscal impact information, and we’re being asked to blindly trust the bias opinions of a tiny group of zealots who are the real fear mongers. Rather, we should be most fearful of those who rationalize acting immorally in the name of their cause.  

For example the NoPowerPlant.com mailer statement “Yes on Measure A = Zero Emissions” is a blatant lie. Measure A requires developing a huge park that most people will drive to and from producing plenty of vehicle emissions. Furthermore, Measure A permits a significant amount of commercial development which will also generate a considerable amount of new vehicle trips and emissions.  

Measure A specifically permits this antiquated electricity generating plant to run for seven more years. Yes, seven more years, but no need to worry because according the California Air Resources Board all electricity generation produces a minimal amount of the most harmful emissions which breakdown as follows:   

0.4%

The point being that if we are really concerned about the negative impacts of air pollution, far more can be accomplished much sooner by simply changing our personal habits. One such change is driving less and walking and biking more which will both reduce air pollution and improve your health. Another simple change would be to minimize burning wood and charcoal for heating and cooking purposes.  

Lastly, our constitution affords us all certain property rights along with many responsibilities. However, in the case of Measure A, neither our government nor the property owner have participated in crafting of an initiative that proposes a major change in land use which normally would require both an environmental and fiscal impacts analysis prior to any approvals being granted. Instead Measure A is specifically written to circumvent these critical requirements.  

Ideally we all would like to rid our city of this ugly edifice, but Measure A is the wrong way, so please vote No on MARCH 5 and encourage others to do the same.

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