The mayor is right: Donating proceeds from the Measure E sales tax to local nonprofit organizations shouldn’t be anywhere near the radar for Hollister City Council members. Council members at a recent meeting denied a resolution – inappropriately put forward by Councilwoman Pauline Valdivia, who has ties to the organizations for which the donations were intended – in a 3-2 vote.
First off, Valdivia for years has been crossing the line when it comes to her involvement in city decisions that directly impact her organization or family. Valdivia is the longtime executive director of the Jovenes de Antano senior center and has indirect links to those other nonprofits. She is, for all intensive purposes, wholly non-objective when it comes to the senior community in Hollister. She also regularly takes part in decisions that affect her daughter, a city employee.
Valdivia has long disregarded the appropriateness of such considerations, so it was no surprise that she initiated the proposal to give away money to several nonprofits that serve the senior population – which would open the flood gates for other nonprofits to come calling again as well. She almost had the necessary votes because Councilman Robert Scattini curiously sided with her in the decision, despite his routinely frugal attitude about spending.
Mayor Ignacio Velazquez said it right when he stressed it is not the right time to consider such charitable giveaways – particularly in light of the city’s continually shaky financial outlook, the still stagnant local economy and no real signs of a major turnaround locally. He, Victor Gomez and Ray Friend denied the motion. Gomez did, however, show an unfortunate lapse in judgment – by suggesting Hollister follow San Jose’s model and give each council member $5,000 to give to the charity of his or her choice – which sounds something like a bonus gift for politicians that allows for the donating of taxpayers’ money under no line of rationale for the greater good, for no particular rhyme or reason outside of buying votes.
Considering city giveaways to nonprofits is not only irrational in this climate, but it is also just another way of diverting the council’s attention from its primary obligations – getting the budget on track, providing a decent level of core services and executing strategies to improve the economy. It is not in the job description for council members to pick a few charities, among hundreds, that will be lucky enough to receive a slice of taxpayers’ money.
Those declining critical services, meanwhile, were at the heart of debate over the Measure E sales tax, approved by voters in November and expected to raise about $3 million annually to maintain services. There was no talk of charity during the campaign, so why consider it now, only after gaining voters trust for another five years? The only reason it came up for consideration is because voters approved the measure to maintain core services. Any council member who supports throwing around Measure E dollars now should have openly supported it before Nov. 6.
Even with the passage of Measure E, Hollister maintains a dire financial outlook and, in some cases, a paltry level of services. Until those prospects are reversed, city officials must use the utmost responsible discretion when deciding how to spend our money. Arbitrarily awarding it to charities certainly won’t help either cause.
