To the Editor:
I’ve been getting a good chuckle out of the Sound Off progressive California comments. I was raised in California and know something about progressivism. Los Angeles is built on a floodplain. If it weren’t for the smog, traffic, crime, pollution and high cost of living, it would be paradise. During the early part of the last century, engineers decided to fix the flooding of the Los Angeles River by installing a series of concrete channels. Although this solved their flooding issue, the environment was changed forever, with native species wiped out never to return. Fast forward to today, and they are attempting to reverse many of the decisions made previously, recognizing the importance of river systems to the environment. So rather than progressing, the Californians are regressing.
Washington can learn from these lessons regarding our flooding issues in town. The proposed measures to the city all involve the creation of impervious concrete drainage systems. While there may be locations where this makes sense (by the hospital, for example), other locations might be more amenable to working with the natural floodplain. I live very near Jack’s Creek and would love to have a greenway free of resident geese that is revitalized, rather than a non-absorbent concrete culvert. With the millions in proposed spending, would the city council consider proposals to buy up flood-prone properties in this area? In my opinion it’s at least worth a look. Only the foolish build houses upon the sand.

Dominic Reisig
Washington