TO Local: No on B

I hate to find myself in the same corner as the Chamber of Commerce, but I'm voting no on local Measure B.

NOT because I find persuading words like "job-killer" or "anti-competition".

I am opposing B because, having spent time at city council and planning department meetings covering various issues over the past several years, I am pretty damn certain that if a resident- or, preferably, a group of residents- has a real, researched, rational, and perhaps most importantly, LEGAL grounds to oppose any development, the council and the commission are there to listen, and can be persuaded to do the right thing.

Most people don't attend meetings, speak, send cards, or even pay attention until something is a done-deal. I'm not sure that sort of apathy qualifies one for voting on a proposed development.

Among the few who do pay some modicum of attention, perhaps even write a letter or attend a meeting, I would venture that 60-75% of them do not research, have no rational arguments, don't care to try for a legally defensible position. They mostly, in my experience, are whiney NIMBYs, who embarrass themselves when they open their mouths, and then scream that the council or the planners are in colusion with developers if they don't get their way.

The remaining 25-40% do their homework, make reasoned appeals, and offer solid grounding for their opposition. And they very often win.

The people who are so crazy about Measure B should instead make a study of that 25-40%, learn how they do what they do and why it works, and then engage the process.

I really don't fancy the panty-twisted majority voting on every proposed development in this city.