Editor,
I write as a longtime resident of Laguna Beach (17 years) to express my concern over the proposed parking structure, and specifically that the City Council cannot see its way through to allow a vote on this controversial subject.
This whacky proposal spends $250,000 of cold hard cash for each new parking space. That is correct and I am not making this up – a quarter of a million dollars for one parking space ($50 million total for 200 additional parking spaces – you do the math). I find it very difficult to believe that any rational person could look at this from a cost-benefit perspective and make the decision that, “Heck, yes that is a great way to spend money. Let’s do it.”
But apparently council members Elizabeth Pearson, Bob Whalen, and Steve Dicterow think this is a wise investment. Ouch! With council members like this, who needs enemies?
I strongly encourage every citizen of Laguna Beach to write these guys and lobby them to bring this to a vote. I also encourage you to not vote for any of these three people for any office in the next election. We need representatives who make reasonable decisions and spend our money in a prudent fashion. These three seem to think money grows on trees, which while I wish it were true, sadly it is not.
Jeff Penrod, Laguna Beach
