California State Treasurer Philip Angelides and environmental groups held a briefing Thursday in downtown Sacramento to educate the media on the harmful effects Measure O, found on the Sacramento County ballot, will have on taxpayers, transportation and the environment.

“It will be a disaster. It’s interest of profit.” Angelides said of the measure.

Those opposed agree, saying the measure that claims to benefit seniors is a hoax to make a multimillionaire even richer.

Measure O is The Deer Creek Hills development project, headed by land developer C.C. Meyers, which would provide housing for the senior community of Sacramento. It was turned down by Sacramento county, so now Meyers is going straight to the voters.

Environmental groups have a problem with this because an initiative measure submitted by voters doesn’t require an environmental review.

According to Michael Eaton, Director of Cosumnes and Delta Projects for The Nature Conservancy, Measure O threatens the natural resources of the Cosumnes River Preserve, which protects over 30,000 acres of natural lands.

The project plans to build around Deer Creek, which contains blue oak woodlands unique to California, threatening their preservation.

The proposed location–on the outskirts of Folsom–is outside of Sacramento County’s “urban services boundary,” a line protecting the region’s agricultural and open space resources.

Building outside this line not only makes the project exempt from the County ‘s General Plan provisions that would otherwise be applied to address conservation plans, but also from water quality protection, sewer and other infrastructure, and traffic and transportation issues.

Those opposed to Measure O include Angelides, State Senator Deborah Ortiz, State Assemblyman Darrell Steinberg, a number of Sacramento County Supervisors and City Council members, including Mayor Jimmie Yee, former Sacramento Mayor Anne Rudin, The Sacramento Bee and Business Journal, and numerous environmental organizations.

According to Gerald Meral, Executive Director of the Planning and Conservation League, there are no paid staff on their campaign against Measure O, while Meyers is running what’s being called the most expensive campaign in local history, spending about $2 million to promote the measure.

Those against Measure O are using banners, phone banking, and direct mail to promote their stance.

“It’s a grassroots campaign versus big money,” Meral said.