I would like to add my voice to those who are supporting Measure S, the Santa Monica College bond measure which would give Malibu $25 million for ball fields, open space, parks and a community learning center, and would take a large slug of Civic Center real estate out of the hands of developers.
I have recently been studying other cities near Malibu and their efforts to build community facilities for their residents, and Malibu is seriously behind many of them. After 13 years, we still cannot get our act together, because the community has been so polarized on the “development” issue that nothing is getting done. But now we have activists on all sides of this issue joining together to support Measure S. I opposed the Malibu Bay Company Development Agreement measure, which went down to defeat last year, but I am strongly in favor of Measure S. We have three willing sellers of Civic Center properties, and if Measure S passes (it needs 55% of the votes) we will have the money to buy a crown jewel and preserve it for the children and citizens of the City of Malibu. There also will be a community college facility in the heart of Malibu (not associated with any religious denomination) for all of our children and us to use.
I have heard the cry that a “traffic study” is needed before we can go forward with this, but I am sick of hearing this lame excuse for progress in our City, and I will not be swayed by a problem which is largely created by drivers who don’t live in Malibu but are just trying to get somewhere else. Let’s take control of our own destiny and do something positive by supporting Measure S.
Ted Vaill