There is no law against hypocrisy in public policy; if there were most of America’s politicians would have extensive criminal records. The latest local example is a proposal by former Supervisor Richard Scagliotti to build 206 single-family luxury homes in the Fairview Road-Airline Highway area, close to the location he opposed for a similar development when he was on the board.
One can only wonder what his former no-growth coalition members think about this proposal. Scagliotti’s no-growth philosophy was well known as he regularly fought attempts to build by outsiders; he is sure to have a raft of excuses about why his proposal is different, but the truth is that the only real change is that Scagliotti can now openly go for the brass ring having helped stop potential competitors while he, Scagliotti, was on the public payroll.
His current proposal must get fair treatment, but that does not prevent some reflection on his era. One of the major complaints during Scagliotti’s term was not his anti-growth stance, but that it only applied to some, especially outsiders who were not in his clique or who refused to be political supporters. There were accusations of payoff demands against those close to Scagliotti although they did not clear the legal hurdles for prosecution; that does not mean it did not happen.
People were also accused of manipulating zoning for their own benefit and for a small band of insiders and friends who directed county employees to rig the system. It was never proven in court, but an analysis of project timelines showed that insider deals had a strange way of working their way through the system at lightning speed while outsider proposals languished for years or died on the vine. One could argue that insiders were consistently better developers or that the system was fixed; you will have to use your own judgment.
Developers and political opponents on the losing side responded in kind by secretly funding and backing friendlier candidates and trying to enter the fray through the side door. They were afraid to challenge the powerbrokers directly and risk their livelihood or future opportunities, so local opposition developed under the table resulting in a series of nasty, never-ending court fights. It is impossible to know who starts each destructive cycle, but human nature being what it is, even good people justify their own bad deeds when they are convinced they have no chance in getting a fair treatment; the real victim of both sides is the public’s interest.
We must demand that our elected officials be absolutely scrupulous and fair in the dealings with all and insist their appointed commissioners and the public employees do the same no matter what their personal or political philosophies. Cronyism, preferential treatment and personal vendettas must be eliminated; they have served the county, its cities and population poorly, poisoning public trust.
It’s a lot to ask in the Republic of San Benito where even the internal walls are high and envy often rules, but it is past time our politicians and political entities did what was best for all and not just for themselves, friends and supporters, or we will be left in the dust. Unfortunately, some remnants of the bad, old days remain. They need to go, and the sooner the better.
Leadership means sacrificing one’s own interest for the greater good – it has been in short supply around here far too often.
