Are our leaders listening? Are they concerned? The Council of
Government’s directors unanimous decision recently to increase
County Transit and build more bike paths tells me the answer is
”
No.
”
Editor,
Are our leaders listening? Are they concerned? The Council of Government’s directors unanimous decision recently to increase County Transit and build more bike paths tells me the answer is “No.”
COG’s action, increasing deficit spending and forcing San Benito County’s small and very-small business owners to absorb 99 percent of the costs of public-sector transport, must end. Not only will they bankrupt every small business, we will soon see the county in Chapter 9 of the Bankruptcy Code, unless they change course.
COG’s directors unanimously ignored my objections and has plunged us forward on their ruinous course. Their overall plan is: Waste, tax, waste, tax, waste, tax, ad infinitum. They voted unanimously to spend more money for empty buses and bike paths, but not 1 cent for industrial and commercial, job-creating transport. With United Pacific’s recent disclosure in Traffic Would, where the railroad’s new president is quoted saying that UP will focus on their most profitable segments, we may soon find ourselves known to history as the generation who allowed rail service to end in our county for the first time in 133 years. If we increased rail-oriented economic development on the branch, then UP might keep it open.
Instead of job-creation with its appropriations, COG is making the county a job-killing place where employers become insolvent from oppressive government, fail and go bankrupt. UP has made another overture to us, as I told COG’s Directors. It may be the county’s last chance to keep us connected to the North American rail network and the markets it serves. If the railroad leaves town, will the cannery be far behind? Is this the transport planning that we needs? Its been 2-1/2 years since UP’s Industrial Development Department extended their invitation to us to help create rail-oriented economic development on the Hollister branch line. It looks to me like we are down to our last chance. Will COG act in time, or will they let this golden opportunity pass us by? Caveat Viator!
Joseph P. Thompson, Tres Pinos
