The Morning Report
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Monday, June 19, 2006 | Michael Grant: Why would the current citizens of San Diego want to “compromise” on growth of 4 or 5 million, or for that matter, accept growth to 9 million people? I can understand why the daily fishwrap, homebuilders, condo and apartment developers, bar owners and other retail sales business interests would be wildly in favor of it, but what is in it for the rest of us who just happen to comprise the overwhelming bulk of the people who actually live here, having joyously escaped from wherever else they came from? Will such growth bring us a reduction of traffic congestion? I don’t think so! How about noise abatement? Will it improve the overall quality of living, reduce restaurant waiting times, depopulate the beaches, and suppress overcrowding in all other aspects of local life? Will it result in lower costs of government, greater access to open space, and improve overall environmental quality? Will it produce a winning baseball team?
In sum, really who is going to benefit from a new airport and the incessant push to get it done? Is it really about flying nonstop to Oklahoma City or some equally exotic jewel in the Midwest? Make the case for the rest of us poor dopes, please! What’s the real agenda….I just don’t get it, I guess?