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Will Planning Become Central Issue In California Governor Race?

Posted by: David Gest
Thanks to: Stuart Leavenworth
13 June 2006 - 11:00am

Voters in the Central Valley and other parts of California are fed up with traffic and air pollution. Can Angelides tap into that frustration in his race for governor?

Analysis of whether Phil Angelides, developer of Laguna West and Democratic nominee for governor, will tout his planning expertise in running against Arnold Schwarzenegger.

"...I'm hoping that Angelides, the lifelong politician, won't abandon his lifelong passion -- urging cities and counties to rethink how they are planning their communities.

Angelides, to be sure, is an imperfect crusader for this cause. He has a tendency to be long-winded and didactic. Moreover, his prized Laguna West didn't turn out to be a model of 'smart growth' -- the unfortunate term that is used to promote communities that are compact and supportive of transit.

Even so, Angelides has a unique opportunity to make planning -- yes, planning -- an issue against the happy-go-lucky Schwarzenegger. Over the next 40 years, California will add about 20 million people. Where will they live? How will they travel? Will many of them find homes in transit-friendly villages, as Angelides hopes? Or will they live in sprawling suburbs, built in deepest of deep floodplains in the Central Valley?"

Full Story: Angelides should stick with smart growth, not safe politics
Source: The Sacramento Bee, June 11, 2006
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