As San Benito County and Hollister struggle with huge deficits and intractable long-term costs and debts that cannot be supported by revenues, it is time for the incumbents facing reelection – and those aspiring to their positions – to define the issues and explain details of their agendas.
Every minute or dime spent on direct or surrogate attacks – or on the production and distribution of feel-good or attack-based advertising – is just a waste of time and money driving another nail into our community’s coffin. The candidates need to tell the public, in very specific terms, what they intend to do about the mess.
Platform generalities – such as advocacy for economic development or attracting jobs – will not make the grade because they do not pay the bills. The same mailer that says “My opponent is a bum” or “Look at my beautiful family” could actually say: “Here is what I’m going to try to do to solve our problems.”
What exactly are you going to do? We want to hear the specifics.
The electorate has the whip hand as always. If it is willing to accept empty electioneering as a substitute for the competence and decision making the community desperately needs, then that is what it is going to get. The Free Lance Editorial Board is looking for candidates with workable solutions who are willing to force government, management, labor, and public and private interests to make necessary changes.
We want to hear detailed ideas on the following issues:
1. For supervisors facing off in June, how are you going to address the $5.3 million annual deficit?
2. How are you going to reduce long-term, unfunded commitments?
3. How precisely do you plan to grow the economy?
4. What is your plan to reduce leakage of discretionary spending by local residents?
5. How will you spur movement on the Highway 156 expansion project?
Now more than ever, voters must know they can trust that their choices for office have ideas for real solutions. It is time to get serious and end the senseless pabulum we tend to see and hear around election time in San Benito County.
