Costly campaigner

Barry Groveman's a professional politician whose campaign slogan "promised and delivered" should make voters think twice about supporting him. The questions it raises are "promised to whom?" and "delivered what?"

Barry Groveman has changed the way our city is run and not for the better. He first was elected after a campaign that transformed a traditionally low-key civic-minded affair with a hugely expensive barrage of advertising and campaign literature. The reason for that quickly became clear--he had his eyes on higher office.

In 2006 alone, Mr. Groveman raised nearly $800,000 in campaign contributions for his unsuccessful bid for the state assembly from a mind-boggling list of real estate developers and special interest groups who will profit from the complete and rapid build out of every conceivable inch of Calabasas. This is a goal that's now being promoted by the city planning director and city manager Mr. Groveman brought in who has directed the city's planning staff to focus on helping development applications move through the system.

Mr. Groveman touts the fact that he's brought "civility" back to Calabasas. What that means in practice is unquestioned and unexamined decision-making with citizens essentially told to "let the professionals handle all the complexities of planning and strategic direction for our city's future." Since he was a driving force behind the expensive and roundly defeated referendum on the Malibu Inn development--a vote that never needed to be held--it's clear where our city will be headed if he is reelected

There is a clear choice in this election. Toby Keeler is a community leader who is determined to bring back government "by the people, for the people and of the people" to our city. He will protect our city's environmental heritage and the unique quality of life that makes Calabasas much more than another Valley suburb.
Douglass Brownstone
Calabasas