Candidate for
Commissioner; Port San Luis Harbor District

During the 1970s I participated with like-minded neighbors to address land use decisions being made by our local government. We were concerned about things like water resources, traffic congestion, air quality, and public services. And there was something refered to as "growth inducing impacts". Elderly sisters had owned a beautiful ranch that was annexed into the city and the city extended public utilities across the frontage of their property. The story was that they couldn't afford the assessments and were forced to sell. A southern California developer bought the property and the rest is history. We failed in our effort to have most of our concerns adequately addressed because we didn't understand the principles of land use planning nor the most basic governmental processes providing for public participation in decision making.

I joined the League of Women Voters specifically to learn how to be an effective participant in the decisions that effect our everyday lives. I eventually became the Natural Resources Chairman which led me to the Harbor Commission meetings as League Observer and then eventually as Commissioner in 1989.

The tools of individual participation in the public process are available to anyone. For example: The Brown Act strictly protects the public's right to know what their local government is doing; the California Environmental Quality Act provides for careful study of a project, identifying impacts, solutions and opportunities for public input, allowing projects to go forward for the public benefit without harming the environment, and: the California Coastal Act determined that our precious coastal resources belong to all Californians and provides for public access as well as protection.

Tools do no good if left on the shelf. As in any other field, a skillful craftsman is one who respects his tools and applies them with passion. These are my tools. I know them well. I respect them. I apply them in good faith and with passion. I promise open and responsive government, environmental responsibility and equal access to our coastal resources and marine facilities.