Dear Editor,
Dear Editor,
Los Alamitos Race Track owner Christo Bardis and his cronies at Cypress City Hall are prepared to steal another election with a sneaky little ballot measure and full of legal speak and hidden agendas that it’s sure to pass unless Armageddon takes place.
If Measure A wins it will change the zoning of the old Cypress Golf Course from open space to single-family homes and other uses. Open space and parks are not an option. We need to Vote no on Measure A.
Measure A will erase provisions of Measure D, an open space ballot measure passed by voters in the late 1980s, to prevent such atrocities and land grabs. Most residents want open space.
Bardis apparently cares nothing about Cypress and Los Alamitos and in collaboration with the city council, are deceiving voters of the 160 pages in the measure.
Each time I open the front door there’s a new flyer full of propaganda about Measure A. Bardis has a bottomless bucket of funds to finance these flyers packed with half-truths. Try not to believe the flyers.
Some Cypress council members have made up their minds about Bardis’ plans even before all the details have come out.
And, the Citizens for Responsible Development cut a deal for deed restrictions limiting the extent of development on the land.
It has all bark and no bite. They have to be enforced and the city will not do that. They owe Bardis a favor. For the deed restrictions to be enforced, residents will have to take a trip to the courthouse in Santa Ana, file papers and speak before a judge. It will cost thousands of dollars and hours of time.
Actually, I read that anything that conflicts with the measure cannot be applied. If the deed restrictions contradict Measure A, they will not work and the provisions in Measure A stand.
And the Environmental Impact Report for Measure L is being funded by the developers. It will probably fail to show the full scope of the traffic issues and danger to children walking home from school on Katella, Bloomfield and Cerritos Avenues in Los Alamitos.
When the EIR reaches the Cypress City Council for approval, the public will be given the opportunity to speak out. The council isn’t going to listen. They will quickly approve the enormous development.
Some council members have a conflict of interest. According to campaign finance records, Doug Bailey, Rob Johnson and Mariellen Yarc all received campaign donations from Bardis and his firms. They cannot vote No. We need to Vote no on Measure A.
Briefly, let’s talk about the flyers circulating around promoting Measure A. How can anyone state the actual number of jobs Measure A will create? It cannot be done. Did city councilmembers draw numbers from a magical hat?
Similar to the Prologis propaganda blitz, the flyers for Measure A tout good paying jobs. For whom? Retail and warehouse jobs do not pay well. Getting paid $9, $10, maybe $11 an hour is not high-quality jobs.
The latest flyer I found says there will be an “opportunity” for more open space. Right now we have 33 acres of open space. Are they adding to that? What they are planning to do is build a gigantic development and leave a land for a little dinky park.
Last year voters approved Measure L and believed they were getting market-rate senior citizen housing, assisted living facilities, professional offices, including medical services and mixed- use commercial. It did not turn out that way. This time we might be voting for something we do not even know about.
Apparently traffic on Katella is not important to Cypress. It will affect Los Alamitos. People in Los Alamitos have a right to speak out for the safety of their kids. Their kids are at stake here, no matter what Cypress thinks.
And, imagine a sea of cars inching along Katella Avenue from the 605 Freeway to Valley View Street. I am betting the EIR will not adequately address the issue and will under estimate traffic counts on Katella. I am betting despite all the questions about it, Cypress will unanimously approve the EIR. It will be fast.
I am against Measure A. The city and Bardis are not being honest. We cannot trust them. I believe we need to move slowly, have public discussions, and hear what people want. A good mix of park space and some development might work. It is up to the residents. We need to consider Los Al too. Until then, we need to Vote no on Measure A.
David DePoy
Cypress
Puzzled in Cypress
Frankly I’m puzzled & perplexed by Douglas Nobles logic or rationale (if there is any) in his letter (News Enterprise, June 12).
He says “I will fight the Prologis Project with everything I have, (how will he fight and what is his plan? The devil is in the non-details he does not provide), “and I encourage all Cypress residents to vote for A.” What part doesn’t he understand of “Fool me once shame on you (Prop. L). Fool me twice shame on me (Prop. A).”
And he adds “I am now confidant” that passing measure A is the right thing:
Definition of “confidant” one to whom secrets are entrusted. Who entrusted secrets to him?
David Depoy’s letter states “Every day it seems like there’s a new flyer … loaded with new propaganda – They are full of half-truths.”
That statement reminded me of Paul Goebbels, Hitler’s Minister of Propaganda, who once said: “If you are going to tell a lie, tell a big one, then nobody will believe it’s a lie. And keep repeating it as often as possible.”
Just wondering if “Paid for by Cypress GC,LLC” advertisements are the Propaganda Ministers for the city of Cypress and Bardis?
Nick Babani
Cypress
Can’t be fooled again
Can Cypress’ voters be fooled by Sacramento developer Christo Bardis & his expensive, deceptive flyers and phone calls?
They weren’t fooled in 1989, when it was Hollywood Park trying to develop the old golf course.
They were fooled in 2012 when they were promised senior housing, then switched to a more profitable truck terminal after the election.
Don’t be fooled by all expensive flyers touting fringe benefits like modest increases in tax revenue, temporary construction jobs, and endorsements from politicians whose campaigns have received thousands of Bardis’ dollars!
All those mailers mean Bardis’ polling must indicate he doesn’t have this election in the bag yet!
Mail your vote-by-mail ballot today or get to the polls between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. this coming Tuesday, June 25.
Send a message to Christo Bardis and the City Council: We won’t be fooled twice!
More election info available at OC4us.com, a citizen’s info website.
Dave Emerson
Los Alamitos
A Yes means no future
The two sides of this Measure A on June 25 election issue in Cypress are very passionate. Democracy at its best is the right to vote no on a measure that is not wanted or those who are not sure. One can always have the right to talk and work it out after the election, but they don’t get that right if they choose to vote yes on a measure because it usually means development. As a Seal Beach resident some may wonder how I got involved? I read about it and then attended two meetings in city of Cypress Council Chambers. I came to realize that the Measure A property and the surrounding properties are close together and ready for business development in future time. Prologis owns only the 33 acres project area due to another measure, but don’t be fooled … as a world-wide real estate company they know how to gain other properties and they have been very successful in doing just that in past projects in California. These include in Carson: 1) BP Refinery at 7710 E. Sepulveda Ave at BP Way, 2) California Cartage property at 22351 Wilmington Avenue, and 3) 3PL Global Logistics, LLC at 2211-2241 E. Carson Street.
Enea Ostrich
Seal Beach