Dear Editor:
Kudos to Ms. Theresa Kiernan of the San Benito County Chamber of Commerce for articulating that organization’s position on the proposed growth control issue.
San Benito County’s economy is based on the $210 million dollar revenue produced by ranching and farming businesses who, for generations, have provided employment and contributed generously to a variety of events and organizations in the community.
These folks have maintained the rural and pastoral quality of life that all county residents enjoy today.
Yet, it is this very group of ag family businesses that are targeted and unfairly impacted by the “On Any Given Tuesday” growth control initiative.
The initiative seeks to alter the county general plan in such a way as to prevent ranchers and farmers from the practice of free trade with respect to the land they own.
It attempts to prey on the misinformed by pandering to the fear of rampant development within the county jurisdiction. But there is no evidence to support the rampant development theory and more than 5,300 registered voters have petitioned the Board of Supervisors for policy repeal or referendum of the proposed initiative to the ballot in March 2004.
This initiative is a virtual carbon copy of the Measure E growth control initiative that was defeated in Monterey County in 1996.
The Monterey County Farm Bureau, the Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce, labor and bipartisan politicians came together to support the defeat of that measure which had the potential to similarly impact that county’s fragile, multi-billion dollar agricultural based economy.
Local businesses and chamber members would be well served in lobbying the San Benito County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors to join the San Benito County Farm Bureau and oppose this controversial measure.
In addition, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and California State Chamber of Commerce are excellent resources with which to refer when considering ballot box planning initiatives. These agencies lobby federal and state government representing the interests of the business community with similar legislation concerns respectively.
Go online and check it out.
City and county governments throughout California are cutting back on public services due to the $35 billion state budget crisis. San Benito County is expected to be impacted as well. This initiative promises to further diminish the tax base as property values will be compromised should the measure be voted in to law next March.
In my view, it is time for the business community to cast away fear of retaliation from county government and aggressively support the agricultural business community to defeat this potentially malignant growth control measure, so called “On Any Given Tuesday,” come next election.
At the same time, consider the quality of leadership and lack of respect the San Benito County Board of Supervisors has demonstrated by attempting to trample its constituents rights to vote on this controversial measure.
Let your vote send a powerful message accordingly.
Mike Smith
Hollister
