Council member says Measure B is an opportunity

As a representative of the residents of our city, I've watched the attacks on Measure B, the "Right to Vote on Traffic Congestion" initiative with utter dismay.

While I respect differing opinions, never before have I seen the city and its partners engage in such negative efforts to defeat a measure signed by more than 15,000 voters fed up with traffic as much as I am.

The Home Depotfinanced opponents of Measure B would have you believe a vote for Measure B will turn our beloved Thousand Oaks into a wasteland. Besides their own financial interests, the opposition hysteria is based on the city's flawed "independent" economic analysis.

The faulty analysis cost taxpayers more than $50,000. It's nothing but a manipulative weapon in the developer interests' fight against losing control to voters. The analysis assumes all huge projects will go to a vote and be rejected, even those with vested rights and even already approved projects, regardless of whether they cause traffic jams.

Under state law, Measure B cannot impact vested or approved projects. As a result, false figures are used to scare the taxpayers. The analysis conveniently doesn't mention the many small businesses which would close as a result of big-box stores moving into our town or the deterioration of air quality.

Whom do you trust to preserve your quality of life? Yourself or politicians? When I look at the San Fernando Valley, I know the residents couldn't possibly have wanted to be stuck in traffic for eternity, but it's their way of life now. When I see the metered onramps popping up at freeway locations in Thousand Oaks, I'm not alone in thinking, "Oh no, we have become the Valley."

I'm the only elected council member who has never taken a dime from developer interests. I'm the only one with little children. I would never take a position which would harm their future. Now is the time to have a say in the future of our city

This opportunity may never come again.

We all must vote yes on Measure B.

Claudia Bill-de la Peña

City Council member

Thousand Oaks