This is a letter sent to correct the abundant “whoppers” written by Carmel Pine Cone publisher / editor in his unsigned editorial “The Dilworth Phenomena.” (June 15, 2007) The Pine Cone refused to publish it, so here it is.

Letter to the Editor
Carmel Pine Cone
June 28, 2007

Pine Cone turns American Dream Upside Down

Hello Editor:

Thank you for highlighting HOPE’s extraordinary efforts to protect our community’s environment and democracy when local government takes action (June 15, 2007).

However, we were startled that your editorial turns the American Dream upside down.

Most of us grew up as Americans rooting for the underdog and fair play, but the Pine Cone’s professed ideal is to give the rich and powerful, like Mr. Eastwood or Paris Hilton, anything they want – even when it violates our laws.

HOPE’s experience is that the little guy can make a big difference and make ours a better world. We find it satisfying that a whole bunch of little guys and gals (some without college degrees, big bank accounts or directorial credits) helped protect a magnificent imperiled forest from a Goliath corporation’s insatiably greedy demand for yet another golf course while our community endures a water supply emergency.

Because Pine Cone unsigned editorials on public interest issues are more flat earth than fact, the following corrects some of the silliest errors.

HOPE received its (difficult to achieve) non-profit status from the IRS in 2002. Mr. Dilworth is indeed HOPE’s Executive Director and has been since 2002 when we hired him. To protect our members privacy, our membership list is private, just, as we suspect, is the Pine Cone’s subscription list.

One reason so many media contact HOPE is because HOPE and Mr. Dilworth are experts on many current environment and democracy issues. Dilworth / HOPE have particular expertise on some topics you mentioned including Monterey pine Forest Ecosystems, our Peninsula Water Crisis, and the Monterey County General Plan.

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Pacific Grove Mayor Sandra Koffman versus Our Environment, Democracy and the Truth.

(c) Copyright 2000-2002 David Dilworth

Sandra Koffman – Eco-Fraud Mayor

 ““One may smile, and smile, and be a villain. ”
― William Shakespeare, Hamlet

Mayor Sandy Koffman — from Environmentalist to Eco-FRAUD

Ms. Koffman and her husband Dan moved to Pacific Grove from Los Angeles and immediately started a group called Eco-Corps which mainly planted trees. As soon as Koffman was elected Mayor in 1994 Eco-Corps evaporated; they never met again, and most of their tree seedlings died.

Coast Weekly’s Squid calls Koffman an “Eco-Fraud” for just one of her (many) recent outrages (click here to read story).

 MS. KOFFMAN vs. OUR ENVIRONMENT

The Carmel River Dam

Ms. Koffman advocated for the giant new Dam, voted for it (1995 Mayors Resolution) and to ignore its many serious environmental impacts including its growth inducement.

MAYOR KOFFMAN vs. OUR WATER

Ms. Koffman worked hard to sneak water away from existing residents for more development – even though she knows we are enduring an Official Water Supply Emergency.

• Mayor Koffman led the developers and other cities to persistently abuse Water Transfer “profiteering.” In trying to keep Water Transfers Ms. Koffman’s June 16, 2000 letter to the Water District worried that stopping transfers “would restrict the opportunities of commercial property owners to do business…” She did not write a single word about protecting residents existing water uses.
• She regularly advocates for more water for more unneeded high-income housing development (Mansionization) and business growth in Pacific Grove. She has a perfect record of voting for every water increasing project on a Council agenda.
• She attends Water Board Meetings only to stubbornly demand more water use for developers which takes water away from existing Residents and our Carmel River Imperiled Species – the Steelhead trout and Mark Twain’s Celebrated Red-legged frog.
• Ms. Koffman opposed the Water Hookup Moratorium for new buildings in 1998.

• Ms. Koffman advocated 150 acre foot more water use in 1993 – knowing no physical or legal water existed for increased use – that it would come out of our Rationing reserves.

MS KOFFMAN vs. OUR IMPERILED NATIVE MONTEREY PINE FOREST

• In stark contrast to the false image of an environmental friend which she worked so hard to maintain – as Mayor she fought hard and voted to weaken our tree protection law (April 2002). Within months we experienced the Country Club Center Chainsaw massacre (6 huge healthy native Monterey pines destroyed and a large protest ensued), towering healthy trees were also cut down at the Library Park, the Middle High School, the Sunset Dr. entrance to Pebble Beach, and on August 27 – the Deer birthing habitat (Thicket) at the Cemetery was destroyed to an outpouring of citizen rage.

• As Mayor she has allowed and even voted for increased destruction of our native Monterey Pines by Luckys in the County Club Shopping with Center. After voting for PG Luckys expansion she exclaimed – “I can’t wait to shop at the new Luckys.” This wholly unnecessary shopping center expansion lost us some huge, healthy rare native Monterey Pines. 

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