Letter to the editor: Setting the record straight on Pacific View site

I am happy to have multiple news publications available in Encinitas, reflecting the diversity of opinions in our community. However, I would be happier if they were reporting and editorializing based on accurate information.

A recent commentary in another publication, “Failing Encinitas Taxpayers – again” has blatant untruths about the Pacific View site. It’s fine to oppose the purchase, and to propose a different financial approach for the city. However, stating that “the buildings are infested with asbestos” and “There’s a big sinkhole on the property” is just not factually correct.

Not surprisingly, the commentary did not mention that Ms. (Kristin) Gaspar supported the purchase of the Hall property when she was a candidate in 2010 before there was a definite plan for its use, and knowing that there was toxic soil on site. After she was elected, she voted to borrow money to build the park, at the expense of the Moonlight Beach lifeguard tower, road maintenance, and other needs, with no recognition of the arts.

It is interesting that Ms. Gaspar’s advertisement says she “supports citizens’ spending priorities,” yet she voted no on the budget that added about $1 million to road maintenance and provided the funding to replace the marine tower at Moonlight Beach.

When Ms. Gaspar was in the majority, during her first two years on Council, she did not support these priorities. During the past two years, she has not proposed any alternative budgets or financial strategies to put any of her supposed priorities into action. She has not offered ideas to protect local quality of life — her only initiative, in fact, was ERAC, one of several citizen groups organized to work on the General Plan update, and I don’t think anyone would say that ERAC solved the problems of the original GPU process. Her ad also says she “opposed city sales tax hike,” but there never was a proposed city sales tax hike.

Encinitas does not have a strong-mayor system of government, so the influence of our first elected mayor will be limited. Nonetheless, Tony Kranz and Kristin Gaspar offer two different futures for Encinitas. I hope our local publications will help citizens make an informed choice based on facts and an accurate assessment of each candidate’s track record.

Lisa Leslie

Encinitas