Special Interests and Porter Ranch

With regard to the proposed Porter Ranch development, City Council members, why aren’t you listening to us? Whom do you represent?

Do you represent the developers and special interests or do you represent the constituents?

I have been disgusted and dismayed by the whole process from the first hearing on down to the last planning and land-use management hearing of Dec. 12.

What a farce it all is! The developer’s representative gets up and asks everyone in favor of the Porter Ranch plan to stand up. And, naturally, a large group of people stands up. Most are not residents of the Porter Ranch area. The rest are carpenters and plumbers and electricians, etc. You can tell that by the garb they are dressed in. Bottom line is that they don’t care at all what happens in Porter Ranch as long as their pockets are lined.

How can Mayor Bradley even let this plan be considered for our city when we already have serious infrastructure problems?

Does he think that by restricting parking spaces, planting a few trees around them and slapping up some low-rent housing that all the traffic, smog, pollution, and crime are going to dry up and blow away? If you believe that, then you will believe that the Simi Valley Freeway will magically widen when no funding is provided for it.

As noted in a poll conducted by I. A. Lewis for the Los Angeles Times in August, 1989, 63% of the 12th District residents oppose the Porter Ranch proposal. Thousands of residents are sick and tired of the politicians and their toadies being up for sale to the highest bidder. Our “elected officials” are in a bucket of hot water and we citizens are turning up the flames. Get with it and represent the people or get out and let someone in who cares.

JANIE STUCKER

Northridge