Measure J is bad planning

“J is Bad Planning”

The Tribune’s editorial got it wrong on Measure J. 2004’s referendum on the City Council approval of “The Marketplace” is very different from Measure J “The Ranch.”

In 2004, “The Marketplace” went through the planning process. Traffic and other impacts were evaluated and the developers had to accept their share of required improvements. The City Council approved the plan. Then the citizens exercised their right to referendum, and overturned this decision. That is democracy at its finest!

Measure J, however, is different because the developers have decided what they will pay for traffic and other mitigation. Objective evaluations have concluded that the actual costs will be millions of dollars more expensive than what Measure J provides. 30,000 car trips a day, and they only pay $20,000 to improve the intersection of LOVR and Madonna Road! This massive shortfall in funding is only possible due to the nature of Measure J: it skipped over the normal planning process.

Please vote No on Measure J. It is a special deal for the developers and a bad deal for the taxpayers.

+Orval Osborne

PS How did a lettuce farm become "The Ranch"? They aren't planning on running any cattle there.