Minority Jobs and Clean Air

The business community has a single response to questions about its schemes to inaugurate enterprises, challenges to its management of existing enterprises, and demands to undo the consequences of abandoned enterprises. Garcia and Weinstein trot out the specter of “people and jobs” to slow much needed realignment of priorities in urban planning.

Garcia and Weinstein and the industries they defend created the problems the AQMD and others are proposing to correct. Industry’s noises evoking sympathy for displaced minorities will become persuasive only when it acknowledges culpability and sincerely participates in planning timely fixes. Until business assumes responsibility up front for its excesses, the AQMD and others concerned about the present course must move ahead without meaningful industry input in proposing heroic and often painful cleanup measures.

LOUIS ST. MARTIN

Pomona