To everyone who keeps trying to paint the “Your Malibu, Your Decision” ballot initiative as the “Reiner Initiative” or the deep pocket Rob Reiner “Takeover Malibu Initiative” with his Hollywood friends — according to Paul Grisanti’s letter, “Behind the Initiative,” in the Aug. 7 edition of The Malibu Times — I would like to provide the following clarification. I have been involved in meetings with Malibu residents who care about Malibu to get a formula ordinance and an initiative for residents to vote on large commercial development years before the Reiners ever stepped up to help us. Malibu should be so thankful to them for investing in Malibu’s future.
The real deep pockets are the developers who have always counted on the fact that citizens don’t have enough money to hire lawyers and get an initiative on the ballot. It is expensive and consumes your life. We need help from everyone and thank goodness for the Reiners, and all of the others, who give freely to preserve our unique and amazing city. Follow the money, folks. The citizens of Malibu do not make money out of trying to preserve our city. The developers make mega-millions. The doom and fear tactics that big money always brings forth for any initiative that might protect citizens and limit the billions at stake for them (remember Monsanto and labeling GMOs) always occurs. It is up to us to not be manipulated.
Be informed, read the initiative; we are not inventing the wheel here. Many cities have already implemented initiatives just like “Your Malibu, Your Decision” and they have not gone bankrupt or lost their medical facilities, or any of the other ridiculous claims the real deep pockets want you to believe.
Carla McCloskey