Seize the Future Initiative

Not everyone agrees with the city of Ventura’s approach of listing numerous ways to spend our money before we ever see it and before methods of funding these apparitions have been properly discussed.

I attended the Seize the Future meeting and citywide visioning slide show March 16 in the Laurel Theater, held for the Downtown Community Council and the Midtown Community Council and witnessed poor representation based on attendance.

This meeting was, instead, conducted among mostly Chamber of Commerce members, some City Council members, planning and development consultants, planners, architects and who’s who from various special-interest groups. I did not see a group of the ordinary, everyday public from outside the social circle of local politics.

I spoke to the group that evening, expressing my unhappiness, discomfort and personal concern for the high density proposed.

I asked if redevelopment / revitalization funding or special assessments would be necessary to accomplish the Seize the Future “wish list” and questioned what other funding sources are being considered to bring these apparitions into reality.

I received an inadequate response to both concerns and now consider Seize the Future as deceptive and possibly deserving the definitions of underhanded subterfuge and sub rosa.

DAVID BURLESON, Ventura