Better deal with ‘S’

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I have already cast an emphatic “yes” on Measure S, the Santa Monica College (SMC) Bond that guarantees at minimum $25 million to purchase land in Malibu in partnership with SMC and to create a Community Learning Center, parks, open space and ball fields, and a clean water project in the Malibu Civic Center.

In 2001, I chaired the Malibu Coalition for Parks and Land (MCPAL) the citizens’ campaign committee to pass Malibu’s Measure K, the $15 million park and land bond. In spite of excellent community support, raising $40,000 for the campaign, and getting close to 62percent of the votes, passage of Measure K failed because passage required a 66 percent vote. Unfortunately, research shows that park bonds like Measure K requiring a super majority of 66 percent will continue to fail in Malibu.

The good news is that Measure S is a much better deal for Malibu than K ever was. First, S brings Malibu 60 percent more money than K, $25 million versus K’s $15 million. Second, the actual cost per property owner for Measure S will be less than that of K, approximately $18 per $100,000 of assessed valuation (AV) versus Measure K’s $22 per $100,000 AV. Third, there are now at least three willing sellers of prime civic center property. And fourth and perhaps best of all, the SMC Bond, because it is an education bond, needs 55 percent for passage as opposed to the 66 percent required for Measure K. In fact, there are no good arguments against S.

My last reason for supporting Measure S has nothing to do with what’s in it for Malibu. Having attended a local community college upon graduation from high school has made me a great believer that community colleges fill a critical role for those of us who for whatever reason were unable to attend a state or private university straight out of high school. We are experiencing a rare moment in Malibu politics when major players on opposite sides of our most recent and hard-fought local campaign agree with each other that Measure S is a good thing. Join a united Malibu by casting a “yes” on S.

Mona Loo