Editor:
SMDP "will show tenacity and strength to hold our elected officials accountable" ("Planning the future," Editorial, Feb. 4) was the final thought of their editor in support of the now approved Hines business/office park. With preceding slanted and omission filled reportage, or lack of objective reporting, it came as no surprise that the "official" mouthpiece of Santa Monica's City Hall is supporting it.
On the day of the first vote the SMDP ran two full-page propaganda/editorials. One from the editor of the paper and the other from a vested interest group, Urban Sense, who are responsible for the design of the incredible pedestrian (at best) hotels at Colorado Avenue and Fifth Street. They even had the nerve to critique the creativity and design of the project as "choppy" and designed by "committee." Have you seen the square, mundane "Bakersfield" boxes of the new hotels and any of their other projects around town? This team is responsible for some of the visual blight we see springing up all over Santa Monica. Two of the architects with Urban Sense held unethically and possibly illegal seats on certain planning boards in the past. Of course they'd support it; with the approval of Hines business/office park the flood gates for more development are left wide open creating more work for them.
To say that this paper will show "tenacity and strength to hold our elected officials accountable" is disingenuous at best. It's three days after the largest assembly of residents (council meetings included) gathered to oppose and offer an alternative to the councils misguided decision and this paper has yet to print one word about the event and what took place.
So much for "tenacity, strength and accountability."
James W Schumacher
Santa Monica
