Some of the op-eds in Lookout have been deceitful in their opposition to Measure M.
One author complains about this measure being penned by the usual suspects and in secret. We’ve heard this before. Let me clearly define the kind of person behind this measure. He is a fellow Veterans For Peace member, and his post-traumatic stress disorder has in the past left him uncomfortable with the viciousness of political campaigning. He cares about his community and the way change seems to be coming from the same segment of the community who wish to “take back” Santa Cruz in conjunction with those who proclaim that they are Santa Cruz “together.”
The above segment of our community has produced a city council majority I like to refer to as the Amen Chorus.
They have green-lighted every developer’s desire. The council and planning director Lee Butler have “sold” these projects as providing affordable units for everyday folks in Santa Cruz.
The Amen Chorus likes to talk “affordable,” but fails to mention that one must make $63 per hour to afford “affordable” apartments. Do you know any waitress, dishwasher, day care provider or schoolteacher who makes that kind of money?
Public record, on the other hand, shows the chief of Santa Cruz Police Department, with benefits, makes $453,000 per year!
My rebuttal refers to the measure being “penned” in secret. What does the author expect community activists for Measure M to do, have a table at Whole Foods and invite people to help write the measure?? It was not done in secret, except maybe not inviting Santa Cruz Together or Take Back Santa Cruz to participate. I knew and was not involved.
Bringing up the recall as an argument against Measure M is silly on its face.
This measure was crafted because the Amen Chorus of the majority of the city council conduct their business in collusion with those who wish that their friends profit by their actions of selling Santa Cruz. They, in collusion with Lee Butler, have never seen a developer they didn’t want to help become wealthy.
Rather than holding the developers to task for being allowed to change our community, like deed-restricting every high-rise apartment owner to owning only one apartment, to ensure every resident has a chance, they chose to let the developers maximize their profit.
For example: The Dinerstein Companies, a Houston-based firm, paid about $52 million to acquire nearly 100 apartments at Swenson Builders’ Five55 apartments complex at 555 Pacific Ave.
Sadly, the original agreement was that all units were for first-time buyers.
We need news rules on development for the Amen Chorus majority. They have an arrogance about their decisions. They hear but they do not listen.
That’s why Measure M is needed.
M. Lee Brokaw
Santa Cruz