It is time for the community to begin the work to get what it wants. For example, swimming pools at the high school so that our students get what they need and all San Benito residents have a recreational amenity to use.
San Benito High and our other schools are old and worn out, and we do not have amenities in the county that many residents crave. We, as voters, are to blame. Well-intended elected officials that are not delivering the things that we want. They cannot. Cities, counties and school districts are no different than a family; there is only so much money to go around. At the end of the day, most decisions are based on finances.
The problem is that too many residents refuse to get involved in politics. Most are not willing to even have a conversation, much less openly show support for a candidate that may represents their interests well. That leaves most of politics in the hands of special interests with no problem showing support for their candidate. The elected officials then pass laws and appoint bureaucrats that create regulations that are expensive, chase commerce out of the state, and make life more difficult for all, including school districts and municipalities.
Through this process, building things like schools, overpasses, swimming pools and the like have become prohibitively expensive because our elected leaders have made it so the government cannot simply put a project out to bid and get the best price through competition. Our elected leaders have agreed that such projects be subject to things like “prevailing wages” and “project labor agreements” that significantly stifle competition that would bring costs down.
More importantly, we do not have the tax dollars to pay for much in San Benito County. For too many election cycles we have elected anti-business people to the state legislature. They have passed laws that have made California uncompetitive in the business arena and constantly introduce uncertainty into the business place. The checks an employer writes for electricity, gasoline, labor and taxes are much higher in California than other states, even before considering some of the crazy regulations we enact. Why would they locate here? The facts of the matter are that businesses are leaving California and not coming or starting in California.
This environment chases businesses away from California, which means San Benito County is not needed as a home for a manufacturer, distributor or other high-paying employers.
Few businesses in San Benito County means few jobs for people who will spend money here, creating more businesses and paying sales taxes, buying homes and improving values, which would pay for better schools and enhanced recreational facilities.
Through the actions of the state legislature and our accommodating voters, San Benito County has become mostly a government economy. Our largest employers are government entities (Hollister School District, Hazel Hawkins Hospital, San Benito High School District). We need that balanced out with more private employers not dependent on tax dollars to succeed.
There is very little that San Benito County can do on its own to attract good paying, private sector jobs. However, it can begin electing leaders, most of all at the state level, which can cause the State of California to become business friendly. When more businesses come to California then San Benito County will be attractive to employers. Swimming pools, recreational areas and other amenities will be a lot easier to come by and we will be able to say “Come on in, the water’s fine!”
Robert E. Bernosky, Hollister
