Crime Is Not the Issue in MCA Expansion Plan

* Richard Kahlenberg (Valley Commentary, June 4) rises to defend poor misunderstood MCA Inc., the “underdog” in a fierce battle for the hearts and minds of public opinion over expansion at Universal City.

He states that homeowner activists are claiming the expansion at the site would increase area murder rates. I have attended most of the public hearings on the matter, and the concerns voiced were related to increased traffic, noise, reduction of property values and urban blight. Although some neighbors of the amusement park thought crime rates would rise, all agreed the present site is incompatible with the surrounding residential neighborhoods.

MCA claims to have been in the neighborhood for 80 years, but the fact is the amusement park was built in the 1960s, long after the residential neighborhoods were well-established.

Mr. Kahlenberg completely avoids mention of the documented negative impact of MCA on the area. He implies that since the Mother’s Day murders were family-centered, they could have happened anywhere, and therefore opposition to MCA expansion is unwarranted.

Here’s the rub: When MCA gets approval for its expansion from the Planning Department, it will argue that the Red Line station should be moved up to the top of their hill to accommodate the throngs of visitors. This would increase costs of the line, slow the planning and construction phases and most important, cause inconvenience to transit riders who want to go to other sites near the station.

MCA has one concern: the stockholder. They don’t give a darn about the environment, about property values, traffic, noise or leaving at least a little bit of open green space.

JOHN HARTMAN

Los Angeles