City Employees Volunteered Time, Effort for Measure R
City Employees Volunteered Time, Effort for Measure R
Editor,
I spent a lot of time on the Measure R Committee so I feel I can respond to your editorial opinion.
Our first meeting was held on Sept. 15, 2006, and we met every week, sometimes two times a week, in my home on our lunchtime. There were only two non-government employees on the committee. We asked for more citizens to participate but they were not interested. David Huboi and Robert Rivas were the private citizens.
I was disappointed with the lack of community and business support for this measure. I personally visited two leading business owners with information and the willingness to answer questions regarding the need for the increase in sales tax. The first business sent me on my way with “we do not get involved with that sort of stuff.” The second business leader was too busy to meet with me; I got the impression he was not interested.
A few committee members also took time on their morning break to meet a photographer from a local publication to take a picture on top of Park Hill with the Community Center as a background for the purpose of running an article on Measure R. The article and photo never transpired.
I had my letter in support of Measure R done on Friday, Oct. 19, only to be told that election letters were already cut off. This was a bit early in my opinion and since we did not have big money to pay for our support information this left us at a disadvantage.
Speaking of money, this was not a big financed measure. But generosity came from good-hearted people along with my union and the firefighters union. I asked my union because we needed some signs and at least one flier and that takes money. I wanted my union to help my hometown and longtime employer, the City of Hollister, because we don’t just take; we give back too.
We never meant for the public to feel like our strategy was a fear tactic. We simply understand the direness of it all because we work with it every day.
I truly believe that the community does not understand the full extent of the situation because for the last three years city employees shouldered the burden on their backs by absorbing duties from employees that either retired or moved on during the last reduction in force.
If you think we were silent it was because we did not have a gazillion dollars for fliers, big signs and paid ads. It was a grassroots effort for our hometown.
I went into it knowing it was not a popular item on the ballot in light of the increased utility rates and the cost of living here, but I never gave up on thinking optimistically and our intentions were innocent and good.
One more thing I want to bring up: I wonder when the trust in our local government will start. We need to stop pointing fingers at leaders past. It really doesn’t get you anywhere into the future.
I respect the voters’ decision and I hope and pray – that’s right, I pray for my city – that we can somehow survive the next round of reductions and still have a city that can function.
I am sorry that some perceive our comments as hollow threats because there is nothing hollow about what is going to have to occur to balance the budget in the next few years.
Carol Lenoir
Hollister
