Letters to the Editor: One person with the power to approve a city? What could possibly go wrong?

To the editor : The print subhead makes the problem clear: empowering an official to approve important large developments without giving counties and cities a veto ( “Clear a path for sweeping urban experiments such as California Forever,” Dec. 1). What could possibly go wrong with giving one person the right to approve a 400,000-person city? Why would we want this type of authoritarian position? It sounds like a pathway to corruption.

It makes sense to require evaluation of adequate water supply and other environmental considerations, as well as the current use of the land. If the land is being used for agriculture, where will that farming or ranching go? What types of jobs would be available? Would the housing be affordable for teachers, nurses and others who are not super rich?

M