Although The California Aggie published a correction on Tuesday to the article, “Davis debates Measure P Wildhorse Ranch,” this correction doesn’t give a proper sense of the extent to which my views were mischaracterized and I was misquoted.
I never agreed that the project was “sustainable” as the article contends. I have argued in print elsewhere that the project is fiscally unsustainable. As a member of the City’s 15-member Housing Element Steering Committee that ranked the Wildhorse Ranch site 27th of 36, we concluded that it “would promote car travel … [since it is] far from downtown and UC Davis.” With over 2,000 units already entitled, building on the periphery of town is sprawl, and not smart or sustainable growth. I also never said that “the election will cost the city and county money.”
Initially, I was shocked by the numerous inaccuracies and obvious bias of the article. Now I understand why: the reporter “is a communications intern for Davis City Councilmember Don Saylor,” one of the Council majority who rushed to put Measure P on the ballot.
The Davis Enterprise has joined us in recommending a no vote on Measure P. To learn more, please visit 2000HomesAreEnough.org.
MARK SIEGLER
Economics professor, Sacramento State