12 lagunabeachindy . com SEPTEMBER 23 , 2022
Letters
PAGE 12
the community at various levels ; early board member of school power , elected to school board etc . I ’ ve even been a member of Village Laguna . I am in favor of keeping Laguna a village , but Prop Q is the wrong way to go . It will basically shut down all development since It requires 51 percent of the electorate for a project to be approved ( not 51 percent of the voters but % 51 % of all registered voters ). |
We never get 51 percent of the registered voters voting on local issues let alone get 51 percent to vote the same way . Our much beloved Montage Hotel would never have made it through the election if this prop was in place also the Pottery Shack project would have faced election and couldn ’ t have passed with the 51 percent requirement .
Almost all financially development falls under the umbrella of this
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prop . Even if the proposed project isn ’ t large if there is a change of use for even a small project it requires a vote . No developer will want to take the risk and expense of going thru design and review , City Council then a general vote , which they know can ’ t pass . Q will electively prevent almost all projects and let our village stagnate in the past .
The City Council has blocked such block development in the past
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and has already beefed up some of the restrictions that are called for in prop Q . The argument that it can be turned back with a different council doesn ’ t hold since if we elect people who agree with our point of view that won ’ t happen . That ’ s where the public ’ s vote should come in and not a badly worded prop that can only be reversed again by requiring 51 percent of the electorate . Vote NO on Q . Harvey Triebwasser , Laguna Beach |
Measure Q Opponents Are ANYTHING BUT GRASSROOTS
Measure Q gives you the right to vote on projects that affect your quality of life and property values . Opponents of Measure Q don ’ t want you to have that right and they ’ ve lined up big money to stop it . This right is enshrined in California ’ s Constitution and similar initiatives have been passed in nearby coastal cities . Who ’ s against this democratic right ? Follow the money :
The Opposition : Citizens for Laguna ’ s Future ( CFLF ) PAC
Date Received Last Name |
First Name |
Occupation |
Employer |
Amt this Period |
8 / 10 / 22 |
Preserve Laguna Now PAC |
|
|
PAC # 1440907 |
$ 28,700.00 |
8 / 10 / 22 |
Fredric H . Rubel Jewelers |
|
|
Mission Viejo , CA 92691 |
$ 1,000.00 |
8 / 13 / 22 |
Zinc Caffe & Market , Inc |
|
|
|
$ 2,500.00 |
8 / 13 / 22 |
Johnson Fine Properties Inc . |
|
|
|
$ 2,500.00 |
8 / 13 / 22 |
Thalman |
Kristine |
Consultant |
K . E . Thalman & Associates |
$ 1,000.00 |
8 / 13 / 22 |
Engle |
Cody |
Retired |
|
$ 3,600.00 |
8 / 13 / 22 |
Carlyle |
Timothy |
Attorney |
Songstad Randall Coffee Humphrey |
$ 1,000.00 |
8 / 15 / 22 |
California Asso of Realtors |
|
|
Issues Mobilization PAC # 782560 |
$ 10,000.00 |
8 / 15 / 22 |
Berryman |
Dennis M . |
Owner-real estate developer |
Pacific Development Group |
$ 2,000.00 |
8 / 15 / 22 |
Silber |
Diane |
Retired |
|
$ 1,000.00 |
8 / 22 / 22 |
Quilter |
Chris |
Retired |
|
$ 1,000.00 |
8 / 22 / 22 |
Laguna Forward PAC |
|
|
|
$ 2,500.00 |
8 / 22 / 22 |
Crevier |
Donald |
Retired |
|
$ 2,000.00 |
8 / 22 / 22 |
Weaver |
Elie |
Self-employed writer |
|
$ 2,500.00 |
8 / 23 / 22 |
Vella |
Matthew |
Attorney |
|
$ 2,000.00 |
8 / 26 / 22 |
Krinsky |
Cathy |
Self-employed |
Independent Philanthropy- Professional |
$ 1,000.00 |
8 / 29 / 22 |
Mansour |
John & Lisa |
Builder |
The Athens Group |
$ 2,000.00 |
9 / 3 / 22 |
Mister |
Robert & Stephanie |
Retired |
|
$ 2,000.00 |
9 / 3 / 22 |
Mech Ttee |
Gregory |
Managing Dir |
CAPROCK Group |
$ 1,000.00 |
9 / 3 / 22 |
Berryman |
Dennis M . |
Owner-real estate developer |
Pacific Development Group |
$ 1,000.00 |
9 / 5 / 22 |
Haspert |
Dan |
Retired |
|
$ 2,000.00 |
9 / 5 / 22 |
Shelly |
Damon |
Owner |
D . Shelly Group , Ltd . |
$ 2,000.00 |
9 / 5 / 22 |
Leyton |
Corey |
Retired |
|
$ 2,000.00 |
9 / 9 / 22 |
Ham |
Richard |
Owner |
La Casa Del Camino Hotel |
$ 5,000.00 |
9 / 9 / 22 |
Keller |
Christopher |
Member Manager |
Laguna Beach Group , Inc . |
$ 5,000.00 |
9 / 9 / 22 |
Payne |
Sloane |
Owner |
WCM Investments |
$ 5,000.00 |
9 / 10 / 22 |
Grosshans |
John |
Chief Revenue Officer |
Palo Alto Networks |
$ 1,000.00 |
9 / 11 / 22 |
Bob Whalen for Council |
|
|
|
$ 2,000.00 |
9 / 17 / 22 |
National Assoc Of Realtors |
|
|
|
$ 26,789.00 |
|
|
|
|
|
$ 121,089.00 |
Plus an as-yet-unknown amount in mid-level donations of less than $ 1,000.00 . Includes committees that make or receive contributions that total in the aggregate $ 1,000 or more in the 90 days before or on the date of an election . Information based on publicly available documents available at : https :// www . lagunabeachcity . net / government / departments / city-clerk / fair-political-practices-reporting / campaign-statements / -folder-454
VS .
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Laguna Residents First |
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|
Date Received |
Last Name |
First Name |
Occupation |
Employer |
Amt this Period |
Donations to LRF in support of Measure Q . 8 / 10 / 22-9 / 17 / 22 $ 12,199.00
Average donation amount : $ 381
The city council appropriated $ 34,500 * for a real-estate based firm to do an “ analysis ” of the ballot initiative . This predictable report included unproven hypotheticals , misinterpretations and examples that could easily be remedied . The council also paid a well-known political strategist $ 30,000 * for “ consulting services ” to prepare a competing initiative . This David vs . Goliath showdown is all about power . Who has it , who doesn ’ t , and who benefits by continuing to do “ business as usual .”
Today , one developer owns 19 properties in town . Including an entire block in North Laguna , a hotel downtown and another a few blocks south . Wouldn ’ t you like a say in how your hometown looks ? A seat at the table to help address traffic ? Parking ? High density projects that make it harder on all of us ? On Nov . 8th , please join thousands of your friends and neighbors and vote
By and For Residents
To donate , volunteer or host a lawn sign : www . LagunaResidentsFirst . org
Join us for our mixer - Tues ., Oct 11th 7-8 p . m . Unitarian Universalist Fellowship 429 Cypress Dr ., Laguna Beach
* Item 7 , Nov . 2 , 2021 city council meeting , staff report https :// lagunabeachcity . granicus . com / player / clip / 1507 ? view _ id = 3 & meta _ id = 115104 & redirect = true & h = 8839f75b8a09d15036fd7d24c9a1710b ** Item 11 , April 12 , 2022 city council meeting , staff report : https :// lagunabeachcity . granicus . com / player / clip / 1683 ? view _ id = 3 & meta _ id = 130654 & redirect = true & h = a13273d0fc0d912d8e09f5a7e382543d
Paid for by Laguna Residents First – State of California PAC No . 1421491
The song says , “ battle lines being drawn , nobody ’ s right if everybody ’ s wrong .”
Measure Q is shaping up to be a battle of money versus people .
On the one side : two PACs , five companies , the campaign committee of a City Councilmember , and 33 real estate developers , investors , business interests , and generally related others are throwing boatloads of cash at the No on Q PAC . It ’ s coming in in chunks of $ 10,000 , $ 5,000 , $ 2,000 , and a handful of dribbles of under $ 1,000 .
According to the City Clerk ’ s website for Fair Political Practices Reporting data , as of 9 / 11 , the total is an amazing $ 99,350 .
And that is only the contributions reported on the FPPC Form 497 Contribution Report . This new PAC , which succeeds its predecessor Preserve Laguna Now PAC , hasn ’ t even filed its first more common Form 460 .
On the other side are many Laguna residents , who either support Measure Q or are being confused by all the noise from the money side .
What ’ s going on here ? This may set records in terms of money spent to influence a Laguna Beach election .
The contributors are largely developers . I can ’ t think of a developer who wants more regulation . Few developers welcome anything that limits their ambitions , especially those ambitions that would intensify the use of land .
And few elected politicians and bureaucrats want less power .
Measure Q focuses on new building projects that would have major impacts on our community . It transfers power back to the voters on those few projects that push the limits beyond what is reasonable for the community and it sets guardrails to discourage overdevelopment .
So , Measure Q represents regulation for the developers and loss of power for bureaucrats and politicians .
No wonder the developers and some politicians are so opposed to Measure Q . I support Measure Q because I believe it will enhance the quality of life for a large majority of “ the people ” who live in Laguna .
John Thomas , Laguna Beach