Council ‘Trashes’ Park Bond Issue

Finally! The Palos Verdes Estates City Council and city manager have finally come out and taken a stand. After months and years of silence on critical issues of the day, they have forthrightly stepped forward to be counted!

They have decided to lower the boom on an $816-million bond issue supported by 12 other South Bay cities. The bond measure, called the Los Angeles County Beaches, Wildlife and Parkland Conservation Act of 1990, will be used to acquire new parklands, aid cities like Rancho Palos Verdes and Hermosa Beach to implement special beach and parkland projects and pay for renovations of recreational and cultural facilities in the entire region.

Unfortunately, the great sages and wizards on the P.V.E. City Council did not bother to apply for parkland and recreational bond issue funds for Palos Verdes Estates, as did Rancho Palos Verdes and Hermosa Beach. So now we residents must pay for the renovation of Roessler Pool and other badly needed recreational facilities. Today I have a property tax bill for $340 sitting in my “how to pay” file. The P.V.E. City Council, in its great wisdom, has decided I must pay this bill to keep the city humming along. The tax bill has been raised higher and higher, year after year, by the City Council because they tell me they really need the money.

The new L.A. County Parkland and Wildlife bond issue will take only $8.50 or so per year from me over the next 20 years . . . and for me this is in a good cause. In fact, Californians have voted overwhelmingly year after year to freely fund parklands, open-space and wildlife bond issues and conservation measures. Most people are for parks and open space.

But not the Palos Verdes Estates City Council! These city officials have decided to shatter their customary silence and torpidity by trashing parklands, beaches and open space. And not just trying to trash the new bond measure here on the peninsula. They have gone public, writing letters to every city in the county to trash the bond measure. They don’t want anybody to have parks, beaches or open space.

The County Board of Supervisors is voting very soon (within a week or so) on this very vital issue, and I am calling on all P.V.E. residents and residents throughout the county to write, wire or phone to all five county supervisors to vote YES on this key bond issue. It is in your best interests and in the best interests of your children and children’s children, who need parks, beaches and open space.

GAR GOODSON

Palos Verdes Estates