Who can argue that County Fairs enrich the lives of
Californians? Fairs are for everyone. They began as a way to teach
folks about agriculture and provide facilities for communities to
gather. That tradition continues today.
Editor,
Who can argue that County Fairs enrich the lives of Californians? Fairs are for everyone. They began as a way to teach folks about agriculture and provide facilities for communities to gather. That tradition continues today.
From jelly and pies to wine and livestock, fairs celebrate the best and showcase the uniqueness of each California community. It’s the food, fun, entertainment, carnival rides, competitions, exhibits and animals that help create magical memories to last a lifetime.
The network of 54 California Fairs is a $2.5 billion economic industry, but looking ahead there is cause for concern. The fair industry as a whole is facing some serious problems.
Our fairs are the only fairs in the nation that are state agencies saddled with an absurd amount of bureaucratic red tape. The simple act of purchasing a few office supplies can eat up a small forest in state required forms and regulations.
Hiring the needed personnel is also very difficult. One fair stated that in 2002 they were not able to staff the fair because of the hiring freeze. Even though they had individuals from the previous two years, they had to lay them off because technically they were new employees. Another fair also encountered bureaucratic red tape when it took two years to fill a position from the time of vacancy, leaving the fair without the qualified manpower they need. It simply does not make sense for our fairs, already struggling to compete with other entertainment venues, to continue to operate under a needless bureaucratic system. Anyone who has ever enjoyed their county fair deserves a better system.
Fair directors and managers complain that state regulations have strangled their ability to recruit and retain qualified employees, as well as contract and purchase in an efficient and competitive manner. One fair manager described the newest volume of policies and procedures as more than three inches thick with a written tutorial on how to maneuver through the document. Our fairs simply cannot continue to function under these circumstances.
I have introduced SB 1041 to change the system for the better and to give these organizations the local control they need to keep providing those wonderful experiences we have all enjoyed. SB 1041 will avail opportunities that complicated governance procedures previously prevented.
SB 1041 would reorganize governance of fairs, make them public corporations and would provide for their transition to local control unless the association chooses to remain a state agency.
SB 1041 represents freedom and flexibility for an industry that so desperately needs it. This bill ensures that the fair that you attended as a child will still be there for your children. I can’t imagine a county without a fair. We would lose a piece of our agricultural heritage.
If you’ve ever been to a county fair, keep the unique brand of magic alive. I encourage you to write your assembly member or senator today and urge them to fully support SB 1041.
State Sen. Jeff Denham, 12th Senate District
