I am writing this letter to express my opinion about our county
deficit. Our leaders have the idea of running this county different
than the rest of the world.
Dear Editor:
I am writing this letter to express my opinion about our county deficit. Our leaders have the idea of running this county different than the rest of the world. I was told since a young age if you want to be successful you have to spend less than you make. When you freeze things to the point you cannot find a job, the economy goes down and unemployment goes up. People cannot produce with their hands tied behind their backs. If you fall in a hole, the deeper it is, the harder it is to get out. Seems to me that is where this county is now.
I agree with the half-cent sales tax for as long as it is needed to help us get out of this mess. But, to me, it is not enough to straighten this thing out. I see a lot of money spent without reason. I remember our old Supervisors used to make most of the decisions. No department could purchase anything over $1000 without Board approval. They couldn’t hire an employee without Supervisor approval. This county always had money ahead. The definition of Supervisor is “to supervise.” I believe this situation can be reversed with restrictions. Creating jobs is very important. Some of our leaders need to wake up. We need leaders who believe in a future.
I decided to build a house for my family. In order to pay for the house, I wanted to develop two lots. One day, I went to discuss the plans with the person in charge of Public Works. When I started discussing my plans, this person bent over the counter like he was hugging a barrel and told me “now that we have you in here, we’re going to get all we can out of you”. I didn’t like this, when he noticed my expression he said “we’re going to treat you like we treat your neighbors when they develop”. I always like what’s fair, so then I agreed.
When he submitted the package to the Planning Department, they took it to the Planning Commissioners where they approved the package. After the Commission approved it, this same person at Public Works started asking for things that were not in the package which the Planning Commission had originally approved. This includes moving electric poles, which Pacific Gas and Electric did not recommend. To do that, I have to pay for new transformers, all new wires up to the neighbors’ houses, including telephone cable, which gives us a bill of $120,000.
I feel I have been treated unfairly because they did not require the developers of Fox Hill to do the same thing. Fox Hill built 12 houses. We were requesting to build three. I am not the only one who has complaints about this person at Public Works. Many people I speak with have the same problems. I feel educated people who have no common sense are not good leaders.
We have decided to wait and see what we can do in the future. I’m 75. I’m sure I’ll be able to wait another 15 years to build my home.
This is only my opinion.
Amadeu Lima,
Hollister
