Limiting Growth in the Southland

The author telegraphed his mind-set by telling us that he is a partner in a residential development firm and chairman of the Housing and Development Committee of the L.A. Area Chamber of Commerce. So let me telegraph where I’m coming from. I am a member of the Sierra Club and have been actively involved in environmental activities from a long way back.

Probably the most telling statement in his long article was, “When representative government fails to assume responsibility and make the hard choices and to plan for the future, the electorate takes over and resolutely--albeit irresponsibly--grabs the ball.”

I have taken issue with the City Council of Culver City in recent years because, among other things, I believe it is elitist. But Weiss’ statement, putting down the electorate is the most anti-people statement I have heard or seen for a long time. He makes our City Council look like a band of angels.

Then he builds up a straw man by knocking way back Gov. Edmund Brown. Well, very few environmentalists I know espouse no-growth. They usually want some controls on growth. I believe that cities and towns, like people, will naturally change. But all I want is for me and members of my family and my neighbors to live as pleasantly as possible in our urban setting.

What I can say to Weiss is that “you give chambers of commerce a bad name.”

MORRIS MARMON

Culver City