I was astonished by the contradiction between your lead front page story (Dec. 1) which dealt with, to quote from your subhead, “criticism of the city’s bungling of grant money” (not “alleged bungling”) and, in the same pages, the blithe assurance of the editorial that our city council can and will deliver unto us the Chili Cook-Off area as a park. Judging from the council screw-up in losing the imperative state grant funds of over $8,000,000, I can’t understand from what misguided optimism your editorial’s grand faith derives. Theirs (the council’s) was a monumental blunder, not a fail-upward but a fail-downward for our rare and fragile chance to create a vital, green, environmental heart for our city.
With the proliferation of extravagant housing where our hillsides and oceansides used to be, we are falling out of sync with the beloved ocean, bay and mountain setting which inspired and define this special place, this Malibu. A restored wetland, a refreshed water flow into our bay (maliwu is Chumash for “where two waters meet”) would have re-committed us to the harmony of our place. The state, quite remarkably, said, “Here’s a third of the $25,000,000 you have to put on Mr. Perenchio’s desk by Christmas,” and our city council said “huh?” missing the most important cue it would ever be fed. No wonder this “has angered many in the community” as your lead Dec. 1 news story pointed out.
Angered? They are outraged. The state was ready to prime our pump big time, but the council, which your editorial so extols, let it filter through its fingers and down the sewers that feed an ocean still impatiently awaiting better reciprocation of her beneficence.
On the positive side, the Chamber of Commerce, your Panglossian editorial pointed out, did raise $15,000 for the park; not one third of what we need, true, but it is a healthy 1,666th of what we need. The best of all possible city councils and chambers of commerce indeed!
Hey, I’m pulling for your editorial to be right, but there are only 18 bungling days ’til Christmas. Personally, I find a truer reality check in your news story. So, when it comes to our community’s chances of raising money for the park, I’m placing my faith in those benevolent Malibu rich guys who took such a beating in the editorial but who so often rise to the occasion when an environmental challenge faces crisis.
Malibu philanthropy is quite a thing of wonder.
Dick Guttman