Petition a scam on T.O. citizens

How much does it cost to buy control of a city of 127,000 people? It may cost as little as $31,000.

Individuals can do this by funding a petition drive to put a proposition on the city ballot which, if approved, would limit the city's control of the planning process.

Under the pretext of controlling traffic congestion, Messrs. Mojtaba Sedighi and Nino Defranco are paying signature gatherers $3 for each signature they obtain on their petition. They will be required to have 10,364 qualifying signatures to be eligible for an election.

Surely no one can believe these gentlemen are spending that kind of money out of an altruistic concern for their fellow citizens.

The petition is actually being paid for and circulated to prevent Home Depot from opening a store in competition with the Do-it Center. They are perpetrating a scam on the citizens of T.O.

Let's be clear about one thing: the Do-it Center is not a momandpop store. It is part of a large corporation with numerous outlets.

They have used this tactic to block Home Depot and Lowe's home improvement stores from building in Agoura Hills and Westlake Village. They are currently attempting to block Home Depot from building in Sunland-Tujunga.

The Do-it Center simply does not want competition, and they will spend whatever it takes to eliminate it.

The proposition proposed would be a job-killer in Thousand Oaks. This fact is important to you if you have children who will be looking for work locally.

If anyone has signed the petition without understanding the truth of what's behind it, they can have their name removed by contacting the city clerk.
Jere Robings
Thousand Oaks