Prop 1 was flawed

There were two fundamental problems with Proposition 1 on the encroachment of seven mobile home parks into the hazard safety zone at the end of the runway at Fairchild Air Force Base.

The air base was built during World War II when it was surrounded by grazing land. In 1964, the federal government passed a law warning about residential encroachment around federal airfields and giving grants to eliminate encroachment problems. Yet despite these federal government efforts and warnings, some local officials allowed these seven mobile home parks to be built.

Now the taxpayers are expected to pay $18 million for land at commercial prices when the land should have been permanently zoned agricultural land. It is clear, the current appraisal price of land under these mobile home parks is overinflated and cannot be used for commercial residential property while Fairchild Air Force Base exists.

Secondly, the existence of Fairchild Air Force Base is only important to the business community and retired military personnel, not to the majority of the rural residents. Proposition 1 was asking rural people who have very little or no stake in Fairchild to pay for serious past mistakes made by our county officials.

George Clark

Deer Park