Letter: HMB City Council is undermining the law

Last week, Assemblyman Gene Mullin betrayed the core environmental values of the Democratic party by teaming up with Republicans to pass AB 1991. The bill seeks to exempt the 129-house Beachwood subdivision in Half Moon Bay from all state and local environmental and planning laws, so as to make millions for wealthy developer Charles “Chop” Keenan.

Less than half of the Democrats (18 of 48) voted yes on AB 1991, while nearly all of the Republicans (28 of 32) voted yes. Most of the Democrats who supported the bill are from Southern California, while only 4 of 13 Democrats from the Bay Area (including Mullin) voted yes.

The Half Moon Bay City Council has hired ex-Clinton lawyer Lanny Davis to lobby the Assembly for a free pass to do things that are illegal everywhere else in California. The Republicans gladly supported AB 1991, knowing that it would help lay the groundwork for future weakening of our state’s environmental laws.

To make matters worse, Mayor Bonnie McClung, with the high-priced help of spinmeister Davis, harmed the City’s reputation by insulting the official state regulatory agency that is charged with enforcement of the California Coastal Act.

All City Council members swear an oath to abide by the laws of the state and the City. The current Half Moon Bay City Council is spending our money in an effort to undermine those very same laws. Citizens who are offended by these actions should fax a letter to our state senator Leland Yee and ask him to strongly oppose AB 1991.

Kevin J. Lansing
Half Moon Bay