Letter: Village Laguna Axe of Measure Q

“The forest was shrinking, but the trees kept voting for the Axe, for the Axe was clever and convinced the Trees that because his handle was made of wood, he was one of them.” ~ Turkish proverb.

In this election season, as the dirt and the dust swirl, and the mistruths and half-truths continue to pollinate voters’ minds, I encourage every Laguna resident to look for themselves at the details and reject Measure Q as an unnecessary and burdensome measure that is a solution in search of a problem that doesn’t exist. Voting for the Axe of Measure Q will result in the strangulation of our town, blight and more vacancies, and hacks away at property rights. The existing checks and balances in the current system of our local government are more than sufficient to keep over-development in check, as it has for decades in Laguna. The unintended consequences of Measure Q are clearly seen if voters look at the Laguna Beach Ballot Initiative Fiscal Impact Analysis, page 16, Figure 3.4, which you can find online at lagunabeach.prod.govaccess.org.

These simple projects would have fallen subject to the Axe of Measure Q, requiring a formal vote in an election, and hundreds of thousands of dollars: (1) Ralph’s – outdoor display; (2) Royal Hawaiian – outdoor dining; (3) The Pottery Place – additions; (4) White House Remodel; (5) Harmony Tea Bar – converting retail to cafe; (5) Slice and Z Pizza – new outdoor dining areas. Is that what we want? I know reading the actual language of ballot initiatives is not fun, but if you are going to vote, please get informed. Two city council candidates support the Village Laguna Axe of Measure Q – Jerome Pudwill and Ruben Flores. Vote accordingly.

Jennifer Zeiter, Laguna Beach