By K.M. Pinto Santa Monica The soul-stripping of city continues Editor:
I can’t believe the city has come up with yet another asinine idea: Getting rid of the wonderful old trees along Second and Fourth streets (“Shedding light,” May 22). The inmates that run the asylum will not be happy until they totally decimate any remaining aspect of this former oasis of a city. As a resident of Santa Monica for 30 years, I continue to be dismayed at the mindless decisions that have dominated for the last 15 years or more. Allowing overdevelopment, in general and low income “projects” that do not give preference to Santa Monica residents, ignoring the traffic and decreasing quality of life here, and refusing to enforce current laws when it comes to the homeless population are just a few of the many problems that are a direct result of poor judgment and decision-making by the powers that be.
And let’s not forget the City Council meetings! What fiascoes! I could go on, but no one listens. Tom Wolfe described it best in his essay “O Rotten Gotham: Sliding Down Into the Behavioral Sink.” The behavioral sink (or toilet) is the direction in which Santa Monica is heading if the residents don’t force a change at the ballot box.
Thanks to SMDP for allowing a long withheld rant, and keeping those of us that still read informed.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on May 23, 2007. Read the original PDF.