What I saw on that website was unbelievable!
Good Evening Mayor and City Councilmen,
While I applaud your efforts to take a public stand against the Quail Brush Power Plant project, the proposed resolution is sorely lacking. It makes no mention of the wonderful quality of life in Santee that would be extremely, negatively impacted. There is no discussion of the health and safety issues to families, schools and parks. Nor any statement is made on the economic costs to the community with the resulting drop in property values.
It does contain a lot of bureaucratic language without heart, passion or determination to defeat the project. To change the plant’s look so it isn’t as visible or won’t disrupt the scenic views won’t cut it if the plant still spews out poisons in the air we breathe and clog our brains with constant noise.
What we need is the same spirit expressed once before regarding another ill-placed power plant.
“ Voepel, who served two tours in Vietnam, said he is running his campaign against the ‘like a cold blooded military operation.’ ”
“Santee will oppose every move he makes. We will use Viet Cong tactics,” Voepel said. ”We will fight a guerilla war that never ceases and never quits. This is a hill I will die on.”
“We will be Enpex’s worst nightmare.” (Voice of San Diego, August 1, 2007, by Rob Davis, staff writer)
That is the kind of commitment that we expect and need to save our Santee quality of life. Anything less is mere lip service. If we, who are with you in opposition wonder if you are really serious with this timid resolution, how will you persuade those who favor the project or are undecided? I urge you to revise the resolution in opposition to something meaningful and with a spine!
At the last city council meeting I heard from the platform, when asked to get more involved, “We are not activists. Staff will attend.” Maybe not, but you are leaders as elected representatives. While you can’t be at all meetings on every issue, some are a priority when they threaten the community. You do need to show up and show leadership. It’s a quality that does not require a lot of money or endless days to study the obvious – power plants belong in industrial areas not residential ones. Leadership requires – courage, determination, duty and unflinching persistence! The citizens of Santee are ready. Are you?
