B-hind the League Door

The Angry Poodle should do less baying at the moon and more fact checking [“Sleep with Dogs, Wake Up with Fleas,” 10/01/09]. As a member of the League of Women Voters of Santa Barbara since 1965 and president of the organization 1999-2001, a member of the League of Women Voters of California state board 2002-2006, and currently the management training advisor for the Los Angeles City League, the Kern County League, the San Luis Obispo County League, and the Santa Maria Valley League, I think I can recognize when those who are at odds with the League hide behind the “League isn’t playing fair” mantra when we disagree with their issue.

Once again, for those who either have memory loss or just a conveniently short memory, the League advocates on issues it has studied and on which it has reached consensus. We have member agreement as to what constitutes sustainability and what would push us beyond our water, air and infrastructure capabilities. Had the Poodle bothered to come to the Measure B meeting of the membership and the public on 9/16/09 or had any of the disgruntled opponents, who only support the League when their issues agree with League issues and pout and snarl when they do not, they would have heard the long history of League support for living within the city’s resources and support for neighborhood compatibility. Do not fault the League for taking stands on issues. We have been doing that since our founding in 1920 and the chartering of our Santa Barbara chapter in 1939. We do not support or oppose candidates or parties; we do advocate for issues on which we have come to agreement.

Also do not fault the League for our state and local efforts to bring about campaign finance reform. It is an uphill battle that we have not and will not abandon. No outside money has come into the League coffers for Measure B. League members have given their own time and money to gather signatures on the El Pueblo Viejo height petition and to help pay the costs of combating the false information disseminated by the push-poll campaign tactics resorted to by opposition groups.

When the League is educating itself on an issue, materials and speakers both pro and con address the membership through public forums, unit meetings and articles in the Channel Voter. Once we have reached consensus, we advocate mightily for it.– Beverly King