To the editor:

If the general election results are the same as those of the primary election for the Lawrence City Commission, business growth in Lawrence will suffer a great setback. Public policy will be in the hands of people who could care less about attracting new industry and jobs. Social program spending is bound to skyrocket.

On the other hand, as citizens who live in neighborhoods, we can rest easy that the “develop at all costs” mentality of the current commission will go away.

I believe that a majority of voters would like to see economic growth and development continue, just not at the expense of neighborhoods. It is a shame that there seems to be no candidate that truly reflects the majority position. We are left to choose the lesser of two evils. Do we want growth without any regard for our neighborhoods, or do we want to protect our neighborhoods at the expense of growth and new jobs?

In the primary, our voice was resoundingly clear. We are willing to elect commissioners who don’t work in Lawrence or spend their money in Lawrence. We are willing to give up trying to attract new businesses and the jobs associated with new business to Lawrence. What we are saying is, “We will tolerate these distasteful things in order to protect our neighborhoods.”

What a choice, too bad.

Chris Chapin,

Lawrence