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Published July 2nd, 2014
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Letters to the Editor
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Editor:
Reading the bright yellow and chartreuse flyer left at our door by Preserve Lamorinda Open Space (PLOS), I was reminded of something that occurred in 2007. After I made a presentation titled "One Billion Americans" at the Moraga Library, a member of the Town Council came to me and said, "Ed, I agree with most of your talk. But you have to understand--we are so involved in trying to decide what to do with the next 3,000 Moraga residents we don't have time to worry about America's next three million residents."
Driving 15,000 miles and talking with people across the length and the breadth of the country about America's perpetual population growth, I would occasionally mention that incident and ask, "What's wrong with that statement?" Audiences generally seemed to understand: If America adds 100 million residents every thirty years, California will add 12 million, Northern California will add 4 million, Contra Costa will add .3 million, and Moraga's Town Council will be forever ". . . involved in trying to decide what to do with the next 3,000 Moraga residents." Since then, America's population has increased over 30 million, California's population has increased over 3 million . . . and so on to Lamorinda.
In his carefully constructed letter in the June 18, Lamorinda Weekly, Jonathan Goodwin points out some of the problems perpetual population growth creates for Lamorinda and he asks, "Who gets to say when it's time to stop?" The answer to his question is . . . Congress! Only Congress can determine whether or not the U.S.--and Lamorinda--have an ad hoc population growth policy. Only Congress can subsidize or not subsidize more births. Only Congress can encourage or discourage more immigration. Only Congress can end America's, California's, and Lamorinda's perpetual population growth policy.
Perhaps like China and India, when U.S. population reaches three-quarter billion--and Lamorinda's population reaches 120,000--federal leaders will decide to take action. Like China they may decide to take effective action. More likely, like India they will decide to take ineffective action. In either case, demographic momentum will carry America's population to 1.4 billion and Lamorinda's population to 240,000. Such a legacy to leave our grandchildren!
Until America abandons its ad hoc population growth policy, Lamorinda and its open space will never be secure. I sincerely hope someday Lamorinda citizens, politicians, and organizations such as PLOS come to understand that demographical . . . and political truth.
Edward C. Hartman
Moraga
Editor:
Yes, there is a lot of traffic in Lafayette. It is exasurbated by the traffic lights. The main traffic flow is on Mt. Diablo. However, if one is heading East on Mt. Diablo, and traffic is coming from Dewing. A car only reaches the back of the new building and the light turns red for the main traffic. The light on Lafayette Circle almost always turns red, when Dewing is green, causing traffic to back up just where front in parking is, complicating the traffic there. This happens all through Lafayette. If someone is turning left, they should have to wait for the main traffic flow. I have been told there is nothing that can be done about this, but in the age of computer driven everything, I don't believe this one minute. If traffic on Mt. Diablo were to move more efficiently, we would minimze thr problem and save consulting fees. There are systems available. I have been in cities where there is a speed sign that tells you exactly how fast to go so you make the next green and one city that had lights fixed so that if you went too fast, the light in front turned red, forcing you to drive the speed limit.
Leonard Dorin
Lafayette
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Lamorinda Weekly, Moraga CA