In 2000, Newport’s Greenlight slow growth initiative prevented Newport from looking like Manhattan Beach. In 2022, Laguna’s Measure Q has the ability to stop Laguna Beach from ultimately looking like Newport.
The opposition in Newport Beach screamed that Greenlight would destroy the economy and harm businesses, but that never occurred. Opponents spent a million dollars to prevent the residents from controlling their own destiny, but voters saw through the rhetoric and approved the initiative.
Fast forward to Laguna Beach’s Measure Q. Like Greenlight, Measure Q will allow residents to determine how their city will look for their children. Despite the claims of opponents, it won’t require elections for tiny projects and it won’t kill businesses in Laguna. History is also repeating itself in the amount of money opponents are raising to disseminate misinformation about the initiative. Although called ‘grass roots’ by its founders, the main PAC raising money against Measure Q is only a conduit for developer dollars.
Citizens for Laguna’s Future has raised an extraordinary amount of money in the few weeks it has been in existence, almost all of it from developers or business interests. Like Newport, there is sure to be a blizzard of political flyers with inaccurate information opposing Measure Q. I can only hope that Laguna voters are as smart as Newport voters were in 2000.
Susan Skinner, Laguna Beach
There is a clear difference from Newport’s Greenlight, and this flawed no-growth initiative. Newport Beach’s initiative asked for voters to approve amendments to the city’s general plan that would increase traffic or density. It did not request voters to vote on actual projects that they may not understand.
This is a manipulation of the facts to say these are similar. They’re not.
It’s also a manipulation of the truth to say most donations against Q are from developers. I recommend everyone go to the city clerk’s campaign disclosure page and review the contributions yourselves.
Don’t take it from the cabal that speaks during public comment at every council meeting.
Susan Skinner is a member of the Advisory Board of Laguna Residents First. That may be of interest to people considering her comments.
Susan Skinner is a member of the Advisory Board of Laguna Residents First. That may be of interest to people considering her comments.
I am a founding member of Citizens for Laguna’s Future, which was established to defeat Measure Q as unnecessary, byzantine, and some other negative adjectives, which may be of interest to people considering my comments.