More Views on Soka Plan

In the May 31, 1992 editions of The Times there were two letters that supported Soka University’s position regarding their vast acreage in the Santa Monica Mountains.

The letters are most notable for what they failed to say.

Without the condemnation process, the cost and problems related to the development of public facilities would skyrocket. It is a time-honored process. It is not an assault on Fourth Amendment rights.

The primary complaints of those who oppose Soka’s proposed development are over misuse of the land, abuse of the environment and mass congestion. Soka’s answer is to add a National Parks Service facility that would compound the problems. Soka’s land-sharing offer is a transparent, shallow and crass public relations tactic. In fact, their project should be built in an urban area.

Government ownership of the subject prime meadowland would enhance the life of all of our citizens. The facilities of the park service would be open to everyone. They would demolish no existing buildings, construct no new buildings, remove no oak trees, do no grading or paving and would not interfere with the habitat or the animal or plant communities. In short, they would preserve and protect the area.

The land would not really be off the local tax rolls. Our federal government would subsidize the local government on the matter of taxes. If loss of taxes were the only consideration, there would not be a public park in the entire country.

Bottom line! If Soka has their way, a major section of the Santa Monica Mountains will be forever lost to the public. Look your kids right in the eye and try to justify such a possibility.

JANE SCOTT, Calabasas