Marty: After all the pomp, there’s a lot of work ahead
Today is the inauguration of Barack Obama, who will be the first president of the United States who is biracial, at least that we know of. He won't be the last. Journalists are covering the historic event like a blanket and there is little room for an amateur like me. I wasn't invited to any parties in D.C. and I don't know what the beautiful people will be wearing, eating, drinking or what they will be dancing to, but there are observations worth making from afar.
Marty: Budgeting and the right thing to do
No one should be too proud or provincial to adopt the good ideas of others; that's a key strategy used by most successful people. During this year's discussions of football coaches, the analysts pointed out the large number of successful coaches that sprang from the Bill Walsh branch of the fraternity. Each successful coach added their own ideas, but the basic principles they learned long ago have not changed.
Editorial: Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down
THUMBS UP: Supervisor Anthony Botelho last week received a unanimous and expected approval as this year's board chairman. The San Benito County Board of Supervisors routinely elects the prior year's vice chairman, who was Botelho, to the chairman role, held in 2008 by Supervisor Jaime De La Cruz. We expect Botelho to handle himself professionally and allow for fair opportunities for varying voices to be heard as the county moves forward. We also encourage Botelho to push aggressively for a serious examination of potentially cost-cutting measures and to foster a cautious approach to budgeting in the years to come. San Benito County not only faces a likely hit from necessary state cuts, but officials also, and most imminently, must deal with a declined property tax base that is sure to strike a blow to the county budget.










