Right now San Benito County’s most desirable economic attribute is its location. Properly developed it can provide a great place to live within driving distance of the best job markets in California and with easy access to the tourist centers on the coast – and that is the way we should be promoting the area until we have a sufficient population for our economic health.
As the years go by without significant change it becomes obvious that the financial salvation of Hollister and San Benito County is not just around the corner; in fact, unless we change our attitude about development, things are likely to get worse long before they get better. Neither the Hollister Motorcycle Rally nor the Pinnacles National Park can save a county that had a 9.8 percent unemployment rate in July 2013 and a 2012 fourth quarter in-county average wage of less than $800 a week. Many consumer-based local businesses continue to fail or struggle to stay open nursing balance sheets that bleed red ink. With about two-thirds of the county’s population living in Hollister, what is true for the city is also true for the county, and vice versa.
Rather than wishing for things we are not going to get with our current limited population, why don’t we promote what we do have – a great place to live. Yes, I am talking about housing development, because until we have sufficient population to support internal economic activity we will not be able to generate the revenue we need to handle our expenses.
In spite of significant cuts and some higher taxes, the revenue versus expense equations at the city and county remain poor. Essentially they are both broke when you factor in their debts with interest – more than $60 million for the city former RDA and more than $20 million for the county lifetime healthcare benefit. Unfunded mandates, underfunded promises and sparse revenue have sunk both budgets. Much of the population is broke too, especially those working locally. Their essential expenses are increasing much faster than their income.
The latest example is that we cannot find the $300,000 a year to pay for added security at the new county courthouse. A complete listing of the things we need, but cannot afford, ranging from the library to additional public safety resources in South County, would use this entire space.
The vast majority of San Benito County cannot be developed because it lacks the fundamental necessities for increased population – such as water and/or roads – and many properties are classified as protected areas, or prime farmland.
What do we have? We have portions of the county that meet the requirements for development; some would be perfectly located for easy access to Highway 101, the north-south backbone of the central coast. Those developable areas of the county would also be attractive for specialization such as retirement communities. Typically, these have unique advantages such as higher density, residents with stable and more discretionary income, increased local interest, recreational support, and fewer impacts on schools and public safety. Overall, modern planned communities also are easy on natural resources and the environment.
One of the keys to advancing this policy is making sure that your elected representatives understand that maintaining the status quo does not assure that they will keep their political power. If we fail to progress and remain a poor and struggling county when better options are available, they will have to accept their share of the blame.
