Taylor Ranch Opponents Unfair to Student Majority

It’s interesting to note that the two most vocal opponents to siting a Cal State campus at Taylor Ranch (Yvon Chouinard and Russ Baggerly) are fortunate to be self-educated, self-made men--an exceptional and commendable achievement worthy of my respect. However, these male “Marie Antoinette” attitudes about the educational and economic needs of their county are extremely unfair to the majority of persons who must have formal education and/or a degree to obtain income. Would they keep their county uneducated, “barefoot and pregnant” for the sake of a comfortable view?

Alternative sites to Taylor Ranch require students to utilize surface streets and fail to reduce time spent in vehicles. Alternate sites are not currently eligible for acquisition and construction funds from Cal State. The front door of Taylor Ranch is on U.S. 101, with a southbound exit in place. Students traveling to and from the site would not have to impact city streets, and travel time in vehicles would be greatly reduced.

I submit that the blend of environmental, economic and educational needs for Ventura County can be effectively utilized to site an extension campus at Taylor Ranch with the objective of implementing a four-year university for Ventura County as soon as feasible. If we sacrifice education for environment, our environment will ultimately suffer. If we sacrifice economics for environment, our environment will ultimately suffer. If we sacrifice basic human needs for environment, even environmentalists will suffer.

ELAINE D. WILLMAN

Ojai