Letter to the Editor: The Gift the Governor Gave Us

We are on the eve of the most comprehensive environmental review of the Long Beach (710) Freeway corridor in our lifetimes.

This study will review not only environmental concerns, but also evaluate transportation performance of alternatives as they affect the region and national commerce. With the passage of AB 751 and the removal of the “Martinez exclusion” to South Pasadena’s rights to negotiate with Caltrans on freeway routes through the city, South Pasadena can enter this environmental review process unshackled by past restrictions that allowed our concerns to be ignored.

Now our freeway fighters and low-build/no-build advocates can present their cases as to the need for a freeway/tunnel solution. They can promote all the new technologies and multi-modal alternative solutions, have them evaluated and have a cost-benefit analysis done to validate their proposed solutions.

That is the gift the governor has offered South Pasadena leadership—the court of public opinion backed by California Environmental Quality Act processes.

As to all eight of the other candidates for seats on the city council, why are they committing to saying “NO" before the process even begins? Are they so unsure of the solutions they propose that they are willing to go all in by gambling with the lives and property that have been in the shadow of the looming surface freeway for decades?

It’s easy to “just say NO." Taking a stand to fairly evaluate all possibilities that may have benefits for our residents and future generations —and explaining to a very passionate opposition why— is the harder path. But it’s the one I've promised our residents to take.

Saying NO to everything shows the region and the state that South Pasadena hasn't changed, that those who extended this fight for 50 years are about to repeat history, embracing impasse and showing a willingness to risk legal Armageddon and pay any cost to the detriment to our infrastructure and public safety.

That is why the surface alternative is still one of the alternatives to be evaluated in this critical environmental review. They anticipate we haven’t changed. Are we going to prove to the region there is worth in evaluating alternatives to save our community and officially eliminate the surface route forever, or are we going to prove their long-held opinions that South Pasadena is not interested in seeking long-term solutions?

We have earned many friends in the region who are willing to work with us to freely examine the possibilities. They are willing to support us and help prove our case. Saving South Pasadena is up to the voters. We should move forward to keep a strong city and strong city council, maintain stability and the promise for an end to this costly struggle, not just elect a new majority of those who find it easy to just say "N0."

Mayor Mike Ten