Soka and Politics

In response to your Aug. 15 article about the Calabasas Taxpayers Committee, Soka University absolutely did not fund even one cent of this committee’s campaign. The university was not aware that one of its consultants was involved with this committee until after the Calabasas city election took place in April.

Shortly after the university became aware of the committee’s campaign, we promptly contacted the mayor pro tem of Calabasas and assured him that Soka University was not involved. We stated publicly at that time that this particular consultant has agreed to refrain from any future political activities in Calabasas--on behalf of any of his clients--without the university’s prior knowledge.

Soka University has been a neighbor to Calabasas for the past six years. Moreover, since the beginning of 1992, the university’s community relations staff and planners have held personal discussions with more than 1,000 of the university’s neighbors in regard to its academic and land-use proposals.

We are keenly aware that that method of proper planning involved consensus building. Soka University certainly respects each member of the Calabasas City Council and recognizes that they hold a mandate from the people to represent the best interests of the community.

We recognize the need to balance our vision with the desires and demands of our neighbors. Consensus planning is the best way to do it. Heavy-handed political campaigning in a small community is not.

JEFF OURVAN, Calabasas