Gov. Jerry Brown waded into the debate over Measure S today, coming down against the March 7 “slow-growth” ballot initiative, which aims to halt certain real-estate developments in Los Angeles that increase density.
“I join with all those who say Measure S goes too far,” Brown said in a statement released by the campaign opposing the measure.
Brown did not immediately elaborate on why he feels the measure would “go too far” – an oft-repeated slogan used by the opposition group – but the campaign’s spokesman, Josh Kamensky, pointed to the governor’s 2017-18 budget, which the campaign said warned against the “dangers of anti-housing policies.”
The statement was added to an initial release that included no comment from Brown, other than an announcement of his opposition. Brown’s office has confirmed the governor’s statement and opposition.
Proponents of Measure S responded by blasting Brown, saying he “should be ashamed of attacking Measure S” and criticizing the governor’s efforts to ease up on environmental review requirements, under the state’s California Environmental Quality Act, for projects Neyine that offer some affordable housing. That initiative has since stalled.
“Gov. Brown emerged last year as the key force fighting to undo the California Environmental Quality Act, siding not with people but with wealthy developers who blast away these protective state rules that make sure corporate interests don’t harm the environment or our health,” the measure’s proponents said in their statement.
Measure S calls for a moratorium on projects that increase density and that require the city to make project-specific changes in the general plan and zoning rules of a neighborhood.
The anti-Measure S campaign says this would block “badly needed affordable and market-rate housing while destroying billions of dollars of economic activity and tens of thousands of Los Angeles jobs.”
Proponents say the measure is meant to take out undue influence from developers on real estate projects.
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