Both Sides of Prop. A

In The Times’ story on Proposition A (Oct. 21), UC San Diego political science Prof. Sam Popkin’s incredible characterization of the direct initiative process as “vigilante politics” gives new meaning to the old rumor that UCSD is weak in the social sciences.

Proposition A is sponsored by the League of Women Voters of San Diego and Common Cause. These are vigilante groups?

I believe there is enduring value and contemporary significance in the great progressive reforms of initiative, referendum and recall that were established in many states and municipalities in the early part of this century.

American historian Arthur M. Schlesinger called the initiative and referendum “a curb on the legislature after election.” Samuel Eliot Morison, another American historian, described these measures as “political reforms which the Progressives expected would return . . . governments to the people and end corruption.”

This is exactly what Proposition A is about. More than 75,000 San Diego citizens petitioned to put Proposition A on the November ballot. People want to have a say in the planning, land-use and growth-management decisions that, until now, have been the much-abused sole prerogative of the City Council.

The City Council repeatedly has made exceptions to the urban reserve provisions of the 1979 General Plan and approved real estate development projects on land that was to have been held in reserve until 1995. Proposition A will allow the electorate to rectify or deny any further City Council exceptions to the urban reserve provisions of the 1979 General Plan.

Professor Popkin describes a San Diego City Council few of us have ever seen. He says council members are “people (who) had to balance the interests of lots of groups and lots of voters.” Is this the same legislative body that approved the 5,000-acre La Jolla Valley project 11 years early?

The truth is that the council overrides its own General Plan to appease lots of bankers, realtors and developers who give lots of money to pay for lots of expensive election campaigns.

FRANCES O’NEILL ZIMMERMAN

La Jolla