I, myself being a relative newcomer to San Benito County (10
years in October), have become emotionally involved over the
Measure G battle.
I, myself being a relative newcomer to San Benito County (10 years in October), have become emotionally involved over the Measure G battle. I was raised on a farm in northern Santa Cruz County 30-plus years ago. We raised row crops (pumpkins and corn), and at one time had 72 head of sheep. My grandfather lived next door and taught myself and my brother how to drive a tractor, work the fields, harvest and market what we grew. He taught us how to fix fences and (sorry to offend) slaughter, cut and wrap out lambs.
As a young adult, I wanted nothing more than to continue the lifestyle I had been taught. My grandfather promised myself and my siblings property on the family spread, which at some point would have enabled me to build a house of my own. I wanted nothing more.
Now, let me tell you about Measure G, Santa Cruz style. A group of “environmentalists” were able to place an initiative in front of the voters which eventually led to a zoning change, which effectively killed any chance to build on the family property or expand our small farming/ranching endeavor. I became disenchanted and extremely bitter that any outside influence could come in and lead the charge to tell my family what they could do or not do with property that was about to be passed on to the third generation. Our family eventually became “tax poor” as no incoming revenue made the paying of the property taxes impossible. Three generations of ownership gone, the family farm was sold.
Back to San Benito County, Measure G has re-opened some old, deep wounds that I thought had healed. How can OUTSIDERS dictate to farming/ranching families in this county what they can or can not do with their own property? Have not these local farmers/ranchers the right to control the destiny of their own land that they have held for several generations? What happened to property rights? What about their children’s ability to carry on in their parents’ footsteps? Measure G is nothing more than a hostile takeover of local farmers/ranchers property rights.
Please vote NO on Measure G, for the sake of our future farmers.
Raymond F. Scargill,
Hollister
