State Sen. Jeff Denham held a town meeting Tuesday night to
update and inform San Benito County residents of his actions in the
Senate during the past year, and to receive feedback from the
public.
The Republican senator explained the outcome of his freshman
year in the senate to more than 40 of his constituents at the Board
of Supervisors Chambers, and then answered more than an hour’s
worth of questions about issues affecting both San Benito County
and the state.
State Sen. Jeff Denham held a town meeting Tuesday night to update and inform San Benito County residents of his actions in the Senate during the past year, and to receive feedback from the public.
The Republican senator explained the outcome of his freshman year in the senate to more than 40 of his constituents at the Board of Supervisors Chambers, and then answered more than an hour’s worth of questions about issues affecting both San Benito County and the state.
Questions concerning energy and water conservation, education, agriculture, the state’s budget crisis and many other issues that directly affect San Benito County dominated the forum.
Denham expressed his frustration over many aspects affecting the efficiency of the state’s government which trickle down to local governments and ultimately the fate of people in his districts.
The need for a new budget process and stronger fiscal control were also high on Denham’s list of discussion topics.
“Right now we have a tough battle ahead of us,” Denham said. “It’s going to be a very difficult year. And next year’s budget is much more difficult than last year’s.”
San Benito County is one of five counties Denham represents in District 12. The purpose of Tuesday’s forum was to better understand what the residents of San Benito County want and need, he said.
Denham spoke at length about creating an environment more conducive to businesses.
The “mass exodus” of businesses leaving the state, thus creating an increase in unemployment and more budget problems, all point to workers’ compensation issues, taxation and regulations, Denham said.
“We need a long-term outlook to create more jobs and make this a business-friendly state,” he said. “Right now it’s a mess that we’ve got to work through.”
While many of the questions focused on the negative aspects of the state’s condition, one Hollister resident asked for a more positive view concerning agriculture.
“As people are being driven out of the state, there has to be some way ag people can succeed,” he said. “And we don’t need to hear bad stories – we need to hear good stories.”
Because agriculture is the state’s number one industry, work must be done to protect it at all costs, Denham said.
“There were some crazy regulations that got pushed through last year, things done with good intentions but no common sense,” Denham said. “Lots of changes are happening on a daily basis.”
