Put a bunch of people in a room and ask them what they want. The list will get long very quickly, especially when the only perspective is what one wants and not how much it will cost. That is no way to lead. Too many times in San Benito County this happens with different groups. If we look at everything that each disparate group wants and asked the people to prioritize what is most important to them, I submit the outcome would be entirely different when the total cost of the lists are tallied up.
The first perspective I ask your readers to consider is that we live in San Benito County, not Santa Clara County and not Orange County. We will not in the foreseeable future have a large retail base or other source of substantial revenue based on economic activity that can pay for amenities that those two and similar counties have. Many beautiful amenities can be had only after we realize that those things are in the cart that must be pulled by a horse that is the work that must be done towards substantial economic activity in the future.
The second perspective is that today we cannot afford even basic government services at an adequate level. Go to certain government offices, and look at the signs that are posted on the door: limited hours. Listen to what government officials say and many observe; we do not have adequate police and fire protection here today, some of our roads are horrible, water mains break frequently, and of course, our largest school districts are suffering from worn-out campuses, old technology, piece-meal construction, and not-fantastic student achievement for many. If we cannot even afford to do well with what we have today, how does spending even more money on more amenities help? Said differently, if you are just barely getting by and cannot afford to paint your house when one normally would say it needed it, or replace the carpet, or spruce up the landscaping, or even have a termite or plumbing problem taken care of, should you try to trade up and get a bigger house that is more expensive to maintain with higher property taxes and insurance, or just deal with what you have the best you can until your circumstances change or even trade down?
The third perspective is where our money is actually being spent today, what obligations the various entities have, both seen and unseen, and where will we get the most desired bang for any buck we spend. Are leaders going to use bond or parcel tax revenues to enable them to shift monies from one account to another to cover pay raises or pensions? Will a new school building increase student achievement or would training teachers in a new curriculum that is better for the students have better results? If we build a massive new park, a new courthouse, or a more robust library, will we be able to afford to patrol, secure, and staff them after they are built?
What we are lacking in San Benito County is leadership that can help us navigate through the issues in the big picture. Does San Benito High School need a lot of work? It does. Should we build a second high school? Maybe. Does Hollister Elementary School District need more capacity? Probably. Do we need a county library? Yes. Would a large county park be nice? You bet! We also need safe streets, dependable water for drinking, agriculture, and industry, and the list goes on. The current plans by various leaders is to work in silos and each to see who can get to the voter at the most opportune moment and get them to approve their particular bond measure or tax.
I and my colleagues will be working to elect people in 2014 that are responsible leaders and problem solvers to help make a better San Benito County, especially focusing on those that have the perspective of the economic realities, culture, and heritage of the area in which we choose to live. I hope all will endeavor to do the same.
Robert Bernosky is chairman of the San Benito County Republican Central Committee.
