Our Environment IS Our Economy

By Sue Digre

Pacifica is a coastal city. Pacificans are stewards for the magnificent Pacifica Ocean and its coast.We must create a viable economy to protect and preserve our irreplaceable coastal assets.

We need a whole-view mentality for Pacifica's progress. What happens in one part of town does and will affect what happens elsewhere.

Traffic will always be impacted by what we do.

The vitality of our town will thrive or dive by our choices for revenue sources.

The public should be in control of Pacifica's choices.

If we place all our eggs in one basket and attempt to depend on hotel TOT revenues, we place our economy at great risk.

If we allow existing retail sites to sit vacant, we frustrate economic progress and civic pride.

If we rush to place our hopes on revenue from a redevelopment housing element of the future, we grab at a dream and forfeit precious time to create a vibrant economy today.

We must plan Pacifica as a whole unit.

Cummulative effects do matter.

We need a robust economy today.

We must avoid more traffic nightmares.

Unless we understand how imperative it is to create a tax base that can start immediately we will constantly face the possibility of losing our natural assets.

Our environment is our economy.

The draw to Pacifica is the environment.

Market it, don't mar it.

Whatever we develop here must highlight our natural environment.

Our history is part of that environment. The Little Brown Church, old train stations, Jack London's local lore, Milagra Ridge histories, the "castle", the ghosts, the green houses, the stables, the quarry, the creeks and of course the pier. These must be respected, highlighted, marketed.

We must also market our spirit, the spirit that shows itself in our committment to our coastal character.

Pacifica must market that spirit that expresses itself in art,cultural, musical, and theatrical creations, in the creation of neighborhood parks, in the preservation of our history.

All these things are the "character" of Pacifica.All these attributes are part of Pacifica's identity as a unique coastal city.

We are a coastal city, we enjoy our natural environment and all the play and relaxation it affords us, whether we sit and dream, stroll the beach, ride bikes, hike the trails, scuba dive,nourish personal relationships or our personal spirit.

Our environment is our economy, market it don't mar it.

Keep it simple. The coastal good life is our draw.

If you believe this is true and we can do this together now

vote for Sue DIGRE