Why believe mayor’s promises on future of College Area?

Re “S.D. OKs plans for College Area and Clairemont” (Dec. 17): It’s beyond disappointing that our City Council approved an ill-conceived plan to more than triple the College Area’s population.

Housing units would quadruple, to 34,000, with no assurances of much-needed fire and police stations, parks, an elementary school, more library parking and other basic infrastructure.

Sean Elo-Rivera, who represents the College Area, acknowledged the inequity but claimed he is satisfied by Mayor Gloria’s “assurances” that those critical needs will be built somehow, some way, some day.

That’s an absurd and transparently false promise, but only Raul Campillo had the integrity to oppose the plan.

Our city has a $6 billion infrastructure deficit.

City Hall can’t balance its operating budget, despite imposing wildly unpopular fees for public parking and trash pickup.

And just this week, La Jolla residents started a “crowdfunding” campaign to replace a damaged rec center bench and play structure, because there’s no funding available for that project.

— Paul Krueger, Talmadge