. . . A Far Cry From His Campaign Mailer.

Author:  Tim Becker

If you are visiting the blog today, it is probably because you received an email sent to Milton Coalition supporters.  You are an informed voter who is seeking more information.  Please do me a favor.  Watch the following 4 minutes of video.  After watching, if you believe Mr. Lusk represents your desires for development, please vote for Mr. Lusk.  However, if Mr. Lusk’s views cause you concern, then please vote for Laura Bentley.  I have provided a lot of written commentary below; however, feel free to skip the commentary and just watch the videos . . . I think you will get it.

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Recently, Mr. Lusk sent out a campaign mailer.  It confirmed what most of us think about most politicians.  Their actions and voting record belie their words.  For the last 3+ years, Mr. Lusk has shamelessly advocated for the interests of developers.  However, now that we are in the election season, Mr. Lusk is repositioning himself as a limited growth candidate that is going to “continue to fight over-development in our city.”  (See above mailer excerpt.)  Frankly, Mr Lusk’s mailer is nonsense.  His voting record shows that Mr. Lusk has voted for EVERY re-ezoning to high density over the last 3 years. Mr. Lusk favors unfettered growth; he has been a primary enabler of over-development in Milton.  Fortunately, Mr. Lusk has left a video record of his true positions on development in Milton.

(Note:  The videos are not sound bites, so are a few minutes in length.  I believe informed voters want the whole story, not manipulated sound bites.)

In this first video, Mr. Lusk shows his deep contempt Milton’s Planning Commission – that is, they are a group of non-professionals (he calls them “Cousin Mike”) that render subjective opinions.  Developers are compared to cardiologists to whom we should defer on land use issues!  The truth is that our Planning Commission is group of seasoned professionals that only focuses on land-use issues.  For example, Paul Moore has been involved in land use planning for over 20 years.  The Planning Commission has consistently and unanimously denied reckless rezonings only to be rebuffed City Council.  The Planning Commission has also led the effort to enhance our current zoning regulations to ensure developers are held to a high standard.

At the end of the video, Mr Lusk argues for leaving the development of Milton to the developers . . . “Leave it to the professionals.”  Does this sound like the something you would say if your were truly advocating that “growth should be limited” and if your aim was to truly “fight over-development”?  Of course not.

In the next video, watch as Mr. Lusk argues against putting any “hurdles” in the way of developers.  I ask you to look around Milton at all the reckless development occurring.  I think a few “hurdles” might be prudent.

Watch as Mr. Lusk states that “we have pretty good control over development.”  Really?  Has he driven around Milton lately?  Has he been stuck in the traffic circle line at the Cogburn-Hopewell roundabout that stretches for miles?  His kids were never in Milton’s schools, so he has not experienced the overcrowding.

Mr. Lusk cites the tree ordinance as an example of “good control” over development.  Really?  Has Mr. Lusk seen all of the clear-cutting in Milton?  Did you know that clear-cutting is actually illegal?  Probably not, because our tree ordinance is routinely ignored by developers because its penalties are minuscule.

And I think it would be good to make it more difficult to get land disturbance permits . . . currently, getting a land disturbance permit is as simple as ordering a burger at a drive-through.

Citizens, I got involved in city government 2 years ago because I was fed up with reckless development.  I have attended nearly every city council meeting since then.  And I can tell you that Mr. Lusk is not for “limited growth” and he has not fought over-development . . . quite the opposite.  Mr. Lusk is definitely the developers’ candidate.  Laura Bentley is the citizens’ candidate.  Vote for Smart Land Use in Milton!  Vote For Bentley!

Advocating For Smart Land Use,

Tim Becker