3.31.08 Press Release

RIFT IS GOOD FOR OUR LOCAL ECONOMY AND LOCAL BUSINESS

Chamber businesses, large and small, have repeatedly cited parking and traffic congestion as major problems which need to be redressed.

Notwithstanding the concerns of its membership, regrettably, but not surprisingly, the Board of the Chamber of Commerce has decided to oppose the Residents' Initiative to Fight Traffic ("RIFT"). RIFT would reduce and control future commercial development and the increased traffic congestion it would bring (see document). As anyone who lives or operates a business in Santa Monica knows, we don't have the capacity to handle a lot more traffic.

But from the Chamber Board's perspective, more commercial development is just what we need. The current processes, which allowed unchecked commercial overdevelopment are good. If we have more development, we can have a bigger city budget, more city employees.

The Chamber's Board would have us forget that we already have many more city employees per resident than other cities of comparable size. Forget that we already are one of the major tourist attractions in the region. Forget that we already have great hospitals, presently undergoing major expansions, which are excluded under RIFT. Forget that housing, including work-force housing, is
also excluded under RIFT.

Finally, forget that studies, including one done by our own city, conclude that commercial projects typically generate greater environmental costs in electricity, water, waste and public services than the revenues they generate.

Apparently, what's good for the Chamber's Board is more development.

Santa Monica residents and many Santa Monica businesses know otherwise. We know that more commercial overdevelopment will threaten the economic health of our community. We must begin to responsibly control our growth and traffic before we are swallowed up by it. And RIFT provides the solution.