“Politics is the art of the possible.”—Otto von Bismarck
“To open a show, I like to do one thing that is impossible. So, right now, I’m going to suck this piano into my lungs.” —Steve Martin, wielding a drinking straw
The Half Moon Bay City Council majority bet $18 million of taxpayers’ money that it could suck the piano of AB1991 through the drinking straw of the California legislature.
Now, having failed, they’re angry—at “people from outside this community”, “people who had their lawyers and their lobbyists against us”, and “people that don’t want it resolved”.
“People from outside this community” didn’t pick this fight to hurt the city. By trying to sell out the Coastal Act as well as environmental and wetlands protections for cash, the city dared anyone who cared about the future of any portion of California coast to meet them in Sacramento for a rumble.
“People who had their lawyers and their lobbyists against us” are not at fault. Does anyone doubt that the city spent more on lawyers and lobbyists to support AB1991 than the environmentalists did to defeat it?
“People who don’t want it resolved” aren’t the problem. Those people don’t exist. Everyone who opposed AB1991 supported SB863, which was hastily thrown together to fill the gap left by the failure of AB1991. No one opposed relief for the city.
SB863 demonstrated that the city has more friends in Sacramento and the environmental community than they knew. It’s too bad they hadn’t realized that sooner. Or yet.

Sequoia offers possibility of care on Coastside; CFMC records still in limbo, Jul 3 6:02pm, Carl May — I don’t believe the hangup for most people is the need for a clinic. Given the pain the closure of…
Sequoia offers possibility of care on Coastside; CFMC records still in limbo, Jul 3 2:50pm, Deb Wong — Well, o.k., I wasn’t looking at the price for it, just commented on the services. Their asking price & conditions…
Sequoia offers possibility of care on Coastside; CFMC records still in limbo, Jul 2 9:02pm, Kevin J. Lansing — A self-imposed parcel tax to provide free health care to 40 percent of the Coastside clinic’s patients? Put me down…
Sequoia offers possibility of care on Coastside; CFMC records still in limbo, Jul 2 4:57pm, Carl May — “Under the proposal, which is still very tentative, two-thirds of voters from Montara to the Santa Cruz County line would…
Post-Indendence Day Montara Beach clean up, Sunday, Jul 2 3:23pm, Anneliese Agren — Thanks for posting this Barry. I’m off my notification rocker right now. Too much to do, not enough time. :)…
Picture: Another view of Beachwood, Jul 2 11:04am, Steven Hyman — I’m no attorney either. I know when I sell land with a ccwd water connection, I specificially include that in…
Post-Indendence Day Montara Beach clean up, Sunday, Jul 2 10:47am, Dylan Oliver — No doubt all of our beaches will be in desperate need of help on Sunday morning. I say pick the…
Dog and 4th of July Fire Works, post 3, Jul 2 8:14am, Debbie Wolfe — Some advice from the ASPCA on pet safety for the 4th of July: Fireworks and Your Furry Friend I like…
Commute to South Bay From Montara, post 2, Jun 30 11:08am, Dan Blick — Hi Jim, Congratulations, and welcome to the Coastside! I’m in Moss Beach, and I’ve found that with no traffic, it’s…
Book Burning, post 1, Jun 16 9:57am, Kevin Stokes —
School Board "Special (construction)” Meeting, FRIDAY, June 12, 2009@1715, post 2, Jun 12 2:16pm, Barry Parr — What things are missing from the original Phase II?
We risk our lives on Highway 92, Let's do something about it!, post 87, Jun 10 7:15pm, Laslo Vespremi — I contend that 70% of the Hwy 92 problems are attributable to slow trucks and the Ox Mt. landfill. It…