The statements made by Tom Tobias on behalf of the anti-Growth
Control Initiative group against the San Benito County Growth
Control Initiative, cannot and must not go unchallenged.
Unfortunately, the false statements continue.
The Citizens for Responsible Growth in San Benito County
lawfully put forward an Initiative to control growth in San Benito
County. The Board of Supervisors, in accordance with Election Code
Section 9118 lawfully adopted it. Subsequently, those opposed to
the Initiative attempted a lawful referendum. The Board of
Supervisors did not reverse itself when it placed the referendum on
the ballot. The Board was acting in accordance with Election Code
Section 9145 and stated that they did not want to cost the
taxpayers of San Benito County any money.
The statements made by Tom Tobias on behalf of the anti-Growth Control Initiative group against the San Benito County Growth Control Initiative, cannot and must not go unchallenged. Unfortunately, the false statements continue.
The Citizens for Responsible Growth in San Benito County lawfully put forward an Initiative to control growth in San Benito County. The Board of Supervisors, in accordance with Election Code Section 9118 lawfully adopted it. Subsequently, those opposed to the Initiative attempted a lawful referendum. The Board of Supervisors did not reverse itself when it placed the referendum on the ballot. The Board was acting in accordance with Election Code Section 9145 and stated that they did not want to cost the taxpayers of San Benito County any money. Thereafter, Rebecca McGovern lawfully petitioned the court to overturn the Board’s decision.
In each case, everyone had a legal RIGHT to do what they did. The Board of Supervisors is merely being consistent when it chose not to defend the McGovern lawsuit. The Board said they weren’t going to spend tax dollars on this matter and they haven’t. (The money that has been spent is on the Pekin pleading, which is another story in itself.)
The Citizens for Responsible Growth in San Benito County are not part of Rebecca McGovern’s lawsuit and have not contributed financially or otherwise to its cause. We do, however, respect her RIGHT to file such a suit. Frankly, it is disconcerting to see the opposition to the Growth Control Initiative discussing their constitutional RIGHTS while at the same time disregarding the constitutional RIGHTS of others.
More telling is the statement that was made at the last Consensus Workshop where a so-called FACT sheet put out by the Anti-Growth Control Initiative group on the Initiative was challenged. In front of all present, the misstatements of FACT were openly discussed and proof shown in the Initiative itself where the statements were false. The public should know what Tom Tobias said in front of all of those witnesses: “I guess our consultants didn’t have room on the paper to say everything.”
With all due respect, that is a poor excuse for allowing misrepresentations to be published. And please don’t try to state we have not wanted to debate the merits of the Initiative – that is all we have tried to do. Please note we are not the ones putting out false information. It is your group and your hired out-of-county guns that have cost you $69,822.95 as of Sept. 30, 2003. For what? To spew lies?
And just how much does your anti-growth-control initiative group know about the sideshow of Mr. Pekin?
As for your legal fees, they were $21,498.62 as of Sept. 30, 2003. Are you telling us the law firm which was hired to defend the mistakes on the referendum petition has cost you an additional $40,000 over the last 40 or so days? Let’s be clear about just who is bleeding whom dry here.
Each of the drafters of the San Benito County Growth Control Initiative stand behind it – none of us have stated that it is flawed. What we have said is that we believe the referendum against the Growth Control Initiative is flawed. Perhaps there was some confusion.
The anti-Growth Control Initiative group has chosen its own path. They’ve had every opportunity since April of this year in particular and for the last 13 years in general to draft an initiative or suggest an ordinance to the Board of Supervisors to manage and control growth, as well as save farmland. Many of the ideas suggested by Richard/Joe Morris are and have been available to farmers and ranchers all along, so the question that should be asked is, why haven’t they been used before?
The San Benito County Growth Control Initiative gives the voters of San Benito County the RIGHT to decide the development future of their county – it is a voice and a vote we do not have at this time. Don’t be fooled: A vote against the San Benito County Growth Control Initiative takes your RIGHT to this vote away.
Regardless of the results of any court proceedings, the Citizens for Responsible Growth are committed to educating the public about the San Benito County Growth Control Initiative – to those who feel like-minded, we appreciate your support and donations. Please call 637-4747 for more information or mail your donations to 355 South Street, Hollister, Calif., 95023.
Rich Saxe,
Janet Brians,
Mark Levine,
Birgit Winans,
Margaret Cheney
Citizens for Responsible Growth in San Benito County
Yes on the San Benito County Growth Control Initiative
