http://disqus.com/by/johngalvin/enThu, 13 Aug 2009 17:45:47 -0000http://www.issaquah-reporter.com-s/news/53160507.html#comment-14806936<p>I must take Kathy Huckabay's advocacy for alternative transportation and a less auto dependent pattern of development with a degree of skepticism. She and her fellow city council members in Sammamish have fought development of a mixed-use town center for years Sammamish has acres of rural land for a town center. It is unbelievable but after seven years of planning as yet nothing has been achieved other than a plan that sabotages development. Sammamish needs a small urban core that would provide local services, local jobs, reduce vehicle miles traveled, and support public transportation. City Council members keep planning and planning with the assumption that as long as they are planning they are complying with regional planning principles and objectives. The truth of the matter is, Huckabay, Gerend, Whitten and their supporters are dedicated to keeping Sammamish an auto-dependent bedroom community.</p><p>Against common sense Huckabay and Gerend believe Sammamish will get increased bus service before it has a town center, urban core. There strategy is to do all they can for Issaquah and Redmond and keep Sammamish a dependent, second class community with a failing economy, limited services, and no choice but to drive, drive and drive on and off the plateau.</p><p>Sammamish City Council members such as Huckabay and Gerend pursue two policies, one regional and one local. Regionally, they are enlightened advocates of smart growth, locally they encourage sprawling, auto-dependent development. As the old saying goes, it is not what a person says but what a persons does. </p>johngalvinThu, 13 Aug 2009 17:45:47 -0000http://www.issaquah-reporter.com-s/opinion/letters/52609702.html#comment-14639707<p>Christian Cary cites studies down by the Stanford's Hoover Institute, a conservative think tank dedicated to "a system where the Federal Government should undertake no governmental, social or economic action, except where local government, or the people, cannot undertake it for themselves." Financial support for the organization comes from major corporations such as.</p><p>Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) Foundation<br>ARCO Foundation<br>Boeing-McDonnell Foundation<br>Chrysler Corporation Fund<br>Dean Witter Foundation [14]<br>Exxon Educational Foundation [15]<br>Ford Motor Company Fund<br>General Motors Foundation<br>J.P. Morgan Charitable Trust<br>Merrill Lynch &amp; Company Foundation<br>Procter &amp; Gamble Fund<br>Rockwell International Corporation Trust<br>Transamerica Foundation</p><p>How many of these companies have received generous financial support from the Federal and State governments. I see ADM, GM, J.P. Morgan, Boeing, Rockwell International on the list. All are major corporations that have been subsidized by government programs of one kind or another. ADM has received huge federal agricultural subsidies. GM, what can I say. Conservative libertarians, advocates of private enterprise are more than willing to take money from government while promoting "private enterprise." No room here to look at their lobbying efforts in Washington.</p><p>John Galvin</p>johngalvinTue, 11 Aug 2009 12:01:10 -0000