Some of our city council members’ personal websites serve to enlighten us on the misalignment between words and action. Lou La Monte’s and Laura Rosenthal’s websites both support view protection, yet when it came to vote on high intensity stadium lighting, they quickly bypassed the compromise they had proposed, destroying an entire neighborhood’s view protection. Laura Rosenthal’s website also includes an entire speech she gave to the city council regarding the lights.
“I am here tonight to speak in favor of limited and temporary lights at Malibu High School. This is an issue that concerns a lot of the community and it has brought out a lot of emotions.
Secondly, I feel that the school community and the neighborhood have both compromised regarding the lights. As a lacrosse parent also, I know that late afternoon games can work without lights since the days are longer now. Lights are paid for completely by the football parents. No tax dollars are ever used.”
Wouldn’t it be great if politicians kept their words? Shouldn’t consensus building be considered? The school district and the city are spending large amounts of your money to defend against a compromise which originated in the city council itself! How can they justify spending these large amounts litigating while the surrounding community has voiced in every settlement discussion that it will agree to the original compromise supported by Laura Rosenthal and the rest of the council?
How can they justify having the city attorney end settlement discussions? Does this speak to the council’s promise of “improved communication between the city and its residents?” Maybe when you have a blank check to litigate using taxpayer dollars there is no reason to have a meaningful dialogue with residents, to be a good neighbor, or come to a fair and reasonable compromise. I encourage everybody who reads this to contact the school district and the city council and ask them to agree to their original community compromise for 16 nights of temporary lights. These are your tax dollars being spent. And remember, Laura Rosenthal stated, “No tax dollars are ever used.”
Julie Tobias