Examine ways to save the fairgrounds
Bolado Park is the capital, headquarters and home of agriculture
in San Benito County. As the backdrop to such long-running and
cherished traditions as the county fair and the Saddle Horse
Show
&
amp; Rodeo, it is more than a mere setting for events. It is a
cultural cornerstone that binds the agricultural community, the
county’s backbone, and serves to educate others about this area’s
roots.
Examine ways to save the fairgrounds
Bolado Park is the capital, headquarters and home of agriculture in San Benito County. As the backdrop to such long-running and cherished traditions as the county fair and the Saddle Horse Show & Rodeo, it is more than a mere setting for events. It is a cultural cornerstone that binds the agricultural community, the county’s backbone, and serves to educate others about this area’s roots.
Now it faces a sudden financial crisis, with the governor recommending $32 million in cuts to statewide fair funding. That would include $200,000 for San Benito County, or 40 percent of the fair’s budget. And the possibility led fair executive Kelley Ferreira to warn that the cuts could lead to the demise for the fairgrounds.
As locals await the state’s final decision, planning should start now for moving ahead without the $200,000 in funding. Gov. Jerry Brown would be wise, politically, to ease the burden and phase out the funding in a more reasonable manner – especially considering the move would fill a relatively small amount of the shortfall – but county fair officials and advocates can’t afford to hope for the best in such dire economic times for the state. There is no reason why such venues, which attract visitors to an array of events throughout the year, as Ferreira pointed out, cannot find a way to be self-sufficient.
There’s no reason why taxpayers, looking ahead in the long term, should continue to subsidize county fairs while everything else in the state budget is being sliced and diced.
First, officials with the 33rd District that oversees Bolado Park must examine all potential areas for cuts. That means looking at personnel and salaries. It means examining the entertainment budget and finding attractions that aren’t as popular or don’t contribute as much to the revenue side. It means going through the entire budget with a fine-tooth comb and highlighting areas to potentially cut, finding any possible fat to shave.
The other end, of course, is that fair officials must find ways to simultaneously increase revenue, and they will have to look at the likelihood of moderately and gradually increasing some of the prices. Another route, though just about every organization in the area is out asking for more money, is to request more help from such organizations as the Heritage Foundation and Community Foundation for San Benito County and make efforts to gain more traction with other charitable groups and residents.
Beyond that, they would be wise to research how long-sustainable county fairs outside California have kept their traditions alive and strong.
Bolado Park is a geographic link that the entire county, and particularly the Tres Pinos area, relies on for economic sustainability. It is the summit of encouragement for future generations of farmers, in a county that largely relies on the industry.
It is a cherished and important part of San Benito County’s history. For the stability of this community’s cultural and economic landscapes, it must remain an important part of its future, too.
