Measure M: No Full Employment Act

The article “O.C. Economy to Get a Measure M Jump-Start” (April 14) quoted Dana Reed, Orange County Transportation Authority board member, as saying that the spending of $100 million of Measure M funds would help reduce unemployment in Orange County.

The details revealed that $85 million was being spent to acquire right-of-way land. What the owners of that right of way will do with their cash is unlikely to have any impact at all on the Orange County economy. We do not even know if the owners live in Orange County.

We do know that the $100 million came from the pockets of Orange County citizens over the past two years and has been sitting in a New York bank. Without the tax, that $100 million would have been spent largely in the local economy, producing larger incomes and more employment.

First Measure M drains $100 million out of the local communities, worsening an already weak economy. Now Mr. Reed would have us believe that spending the money to buy land will create jobs.

DONALD R. BOOTH

Villa Park