Hollister
– Stretching from the bottom of Hollister to San Benito County’s
southern reaches, supervisoral District 4 covers more land than any
other district in the in the county. It includes the relatively
urban area of Ridgemark, the hamlet Tres Pinos, the wilds of
Pinnacles National Monument, sprawling r
anches, vineyards and a host of other agriculture.
Hollister – Stretching from the bottom of Hollister to San Benito County’s southern reaches, supervisoral District 4 covers more land than any other district in the in the county. It includes the relatively urban area of Ridgemark, the hamlet Tres Pinos, the wilds of Pinnacles National Monument, sprawling ranches, vineyards and a host of other agriculture.
It is a district that’s as varied as the three candidates who have come forward in hopes of winning the chance to represent the area when voters go to the polls on June 6. The candidates include: a former journalist and newspaper publisher; a rancher and well-known county official; and a retired teacher who currently holds the District 4 seat. Below are brief profiles of each candidate and a sampling of their priorities.
Cone Focuses on Regaining Locals’ Trust
Chief among candidate Tracie Cone’s numerous priorities are: ensuring managed growth, fostering economic development and increasing citizens’ confidence in government.
Cone, a career journalist who owned the Pinnacle Newspaper from 1999 to 2004, said that any new residential development should be allowed only if county infrastructure can support it or is built concurrently with it. Also, she added, the county’s bucolic character must be maintained through the preservation of open space and farmland. To that end, Cone said she supports a transferable development credit program – a program that will allow owners of agricultural land to sell, in the form of a credits, their right to build homes on their property to developers. The credits will then be used to build homes in areas that have been chosen for higher density. Proponents of the TDC program say that it will encourage farmers and ranchers to keep their land undeveloped, while at the same time allowing them to reap the rewards of selling their land for development.
Pinnacles National Monument, the county wine scene and the Hollister Municipal Airport are all assets that the county can use to regain fiscal solvency, Cone said. The airport in particular has untapped potential for contributing to the economic well-being of the county, Cone said. The Board of Supervisors should work with the City of Hollister to create a long-term plan for the airport, she said, which has the potential to become a commuter hub with connecting flights to international airports or destinations such as Las Vegas.
Citizens have lost trust in the county government, according to Cone. She said that, if elected, she would work hard to regain that trust. Cone criticized the current Board of Supervisors for failing to communicate the reasons behind their decisions. She cited the board’s decision not to pursue the formation of an ethics committee and voting to rescind finance campaign regulations as examples. Cone said that she will communicate with county residents so they know what their government is doing, and why. Cone said that her career as a journalist taught her how to listen to and understand all sides of an issue – a skill she says she will use if elected.
“I vow to talk to the stakeholders and shareholders who are impacted by these things,” she said. “I listen to people.”
Hodges Will Rely on Decades of Experience
After more than two decades as an elected official in San Benito County, Clerk/Auditor/Recorder John Hodges said that he has gained the experience he will needed to represent District 4. Hodges said that some of his top priorities, if elected, will be expediting the revision of the county’s out-dated general plan, economic development and curtailing gang activity.
The county’s new general plan, Hodges said, should reflect the vision that residents, rather than developers, have for the future of San Benito. Hodges said that he thinks that vision will be one of managed growth in which development does not outpace infrastructure. Proposed developments – such as DMB Associate’s plan for a 6,800-house town in Northern San Benito County – should be put on hold until the general plan is revised, Hodges said, adding that he would push to start the revision process during his first year in office. The current Board of Supervisors agree that the plan needs to be updated and have had preliminary discussions about how to go about doing it.
Putting the county, which has a projected budget deficit for next fiscal year of more than $4 million, on firmer financial ground ranks high for Hodges. He said he would encourage the development of industrial parks and also support the San Benito County Economic Development Corporation in its quest to attract business to the county. Hodges also said that he thinks the county needs more places of lodging to attract tourist to the county and create a hotel-tax revenue source. Hodges also said that he would attempt to work with state lawmakers to increase the percentage of property tax money that San Benito receives from the state.
Hodges said he would work closely with San Benito County Sheriff Curtis Hill and give him the support he needs to curtail the county’s burgeoning gang problem. To further that effort and keep kids from joining gangs, Hodges said that he would work with schools and other groups to develop more youth programs for local kids.
“You should vote for me because I have in-depth experience of county and city government. I spent years working in the departments. And I know how they operate,” Hodges said.
Monaco Wants Finish the Work He’s Started
Incumbent Reb Monaco, a retired teacher, said that during his time as a supervisor the board has accomplished much – such as securing grant funding for county programs and reorganizing the Planning Department – but there is still plenty left for him to do. Among his priorities, if re-elected, are managed growth, economic development and working regionally to solve problems.
Monaco said that he agrees with the fundamentals of “smart growth,” calling for development in urban areas rather than sprawling throughout the county. Key to ensuring smart, managed growth will be a revision of the county’s general plan, elements of which haven’t been updated for more than two decades, he said. If re-elected, Monaco said that he would advocate a fast-track of the general plan revision, which he hopes could be completed within 18 months and with widespread community input. Before supporting large developments, such as the 6,800-home El Rancho San Benito planned for Northern San Benito, Monaco said he would need to be convinced that they benefit the entire county and won’t be a drain on county infrastructure and services.
Fostering economic development should be at the forefront of the general plan revision process, Monaco said. Also, the county should continue to work with Hollister to solve its sewer problems, which resulted in a sewer moratorium being placed on the city in 2002 that has precluded new development. Monaco said that the county, and District 4 specifically, needs more lodging to encourage tourism. He also said that he wants to see a county parks commission developed that would oversee parks and better facilitate their use.
Monaco said that he is committed to working regionally to tackle issues like gang violence and transportation planning. He said he advocated for the county to become part of the Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments, which San Benito joined last year. Working with regional partners, he said, will give San Benito more resources for addressing things that aren’t constrained by borders.
After nearly four years as a county supervisor, and a year as board chair, Monaco said that he has the experience and leadership skills needed to take the county into the future and represent the residents of District 4.
“I’ve always been available to constituents,” he said. “I represent them well. I’ve always been available to everyone.”
