The San Benito County Farm Bureau held its traditional candidate forum for various seats, including the three open spots on the board of supervisors.
The farm bureau at the May 10 forum posed questions, and the candidates responded about support for agriculture tourism, the economy and fire protection.
In District 1, political newcomer Mark Starritt is challenging incumbent Margie Barrios, seeking her second four-year term.
Regarding agriculture, Barrios pointed to the general plan update under way for about two years. “The general plan is our road map for the community, and agriculture is one of the biggest considerations on this plan,” she said, adding how supervisors “made great strides” in de-regulation on ordinances to protect agriculture.
Starritt said supervisors in recent years changed some rules, but not enough. He said he would do everything he can to help businesses move forward. “But really, it’s something we really shouldn’t have had to face from the beginning,” he said.
In the District 2 race on the subject, challenger Art Medina, facing incumbent Anthony Botelho, said the county needs small boutique businesses and to temporarily cut impact fees. “It (tourism) brings people to the county. They spend money. It generates tax revenue – then they go home,” he said.
Botelho also pointed to the general plan and its wine trail overlay. He said he does not believe in impact fees, rather sales and property taxes. He said Paso Robles has a billion-dollar wine industry. “We need a piece of that,” he said. “We’re well on our way.”
District 5’s challenger Sonny Flores did not attend, while incumbent Jaime De La Cruz talked about the Solargen approval and its expected $1 million annual infusion to the county. He also noted that supervisors have streamlined the development application process. “This is money for the business community,” he said.
As for fire protection, all five candidates said they viewed the move positively toward a one-year extension with Calfire. Botelho and De La Cruz were the two board supporters of a Hollister contract, rejected 3-2 earlier this month. The county appears to be headed toward a one-year extension with Calfire after months of political quarreling. The city deal, around the same $1.1 million cost proposed by Calfire, would have added eight firefighters to the Hollister department, but there was uncertainty over the municipality’s financial stability, in light of the Measure T tax extension on the November ballot.
Botelho called it an “opportunity to involve all the interested jurisdictions. De La Cruz called it an “opportunity to look at deficiencies.”
Barrios underscored the need to wait until Hollister voters decide on Measure T – with its $3 million-plus in revenue at stake. Starritt called the city proposal “inadequate fire protection.” Medina said the timing was not right for the Hollister deal and there were “a lot of holes” in it.
