Assembly needs to represent both business and property owners

To the editor:

I encourage everyone to vote in the Oct. 2 Mat-Su Borough election. I believe it is a pivotal time in the history of the borough. We have a clear choice between the incumbents whose votes and actions have adversely impacted our neighborhoods, affecting our property rights and created land use conflicts, and Mark Masteller and Michelle Church who have a vision for the Valley that strives to balance development concerns with our rights as property owners and taxpayers to participate in decisions that affect our lives.

Too restrictive regulations stifle. Too few regulations cause chaos.

The tall tower fiasco demonstrates that radical swings of the pendulum too far in either direction do not benefit anyone. A balanced reaction by the assembly in November 2011 may have prevented the land use conflicts occurring in many of our neighborhoods today. The assembly needs to represent both business and property owners not one at the expense of the others. Imbalance in one direction or the other will not address today’s concerns or future issues. Decisions as they affect property owners and businesses are not black and white. When addressing the many issues that face the borough as its population grows, moderation and reason are needed to ensure that the Mat-Su Borough continues to be a great place to live and work

Mostly, as residents of the Mat-Su Borough we need to decide as a community where we want to be now and 5, 10, 20 and 50 years from now.

I suggest that we want to be a community that encourages investment and business as well as protects the rights of property owners and the values that make the Mat-Su Borough a great place to live and work. A community that strikes the right balance between regulation and personal freedom. A community that makes reasoned and reasonable decisions to guide us through the 21st century. Yes, we need to make balanced and informed decisions to move forward otherwise we will be stuck in the mud, slipping backward.

Finally, participate in your local government. Do not assume that reasonable decisions will be made. Ask incumbents and candidates “Are you reasonable?” At the local level we need to demonstrate that differences can be addressed thoughtfully and that reasonable and balanced decisions can be made. Lets start now. Please vote Oct. 2 and vote for reason.

Murph O’Brien

Palmer