Side-by-side stories show how local politicians have changed for the worse

Re “Developer proposals for Mission Bay Park rile critics” (Aug. 31) and “A splurge 50 years ago made a San Diego icon” (Aug. 31): The juxtaposition of last Sunday’s front-page headlines was quite telling.

Visionary city politicians of the 1970s protected land for posterity by preventing overdevelopment and creating scenic Mission Trails Park. Today’s shortsighted, sellout city politicians are killing the golden goose under the ruse that affordable housing is the be-all and the end-all of life in San Diego. Do the ends really justify any means whatsoever?

The difference is the wisdom to recognize that giving away public-trust land and diminishing our quality of life forsakes the permanent greater good for the temporary benefit of a few developers and residents.

We need to preserve what treasures we have, or else there will be nothing left worth preserving.

— Todd Cloaninger, Tierrasanta