Politicians and Latigo Ranch Resort Approval

The quick shuffle executed by County Supervisor Ed Edelman, Rep. Anthony Beilenson, Assemblyman Terry B. Friedman, and state Sens. Herschel Rosenthal and Tom Hayden to extricate themselves from even knowing about the proposed Latigo Ranch Resort approval (thanks to Ron Russell) would be amusing if their salaries were not being paid by our tax dollars (July 18). Give us a break, guys! Do you really expect those of us who own property in the Santa Monica Mountains and who have lost almost all private building rights because of your “concern” to believe that John Schwarze--with his career and pension at stake--would bypass all of you and arbitrarily exempt a major development from the recommendations of even his own staff? And, even more incredible, only vaguely remember his actions a year later?

The autocratic control exercised over this area by this political quintet would make most foreign dictators green with envy (no environmental pun intended). It is not surprising that the approval of the Latigo Ranch project seemed like a “done deal” at the Regional Planning Commission meeting.

This is not sour grapes. I am in favor of the Latigo Canyon Project and any more like it that would upgrade this area through private investment. I and others who have been economically and emotionally depleted or bankrupted trying to retain any viable usage of our land in this region heartily applaud Mr. Lachman’s business acumen. But something went wrong, and I highly doubt that it was due to poor judgment on the part of the head of the Regional Planning Department.

We’ll all be watching this investigation very closely, Mr. Edelman.

PHYLLIS M. DAUGHERTY

Santa Monica Mountains