This community opinion was contributed by Sheriff Eric Taylor. The opinions expressed do not necessarily represent BenitoLink or other affiliated contributors. Lea este artículo en español aquí.
If you are still undecided on Measure A, please consider taking the time to read why your elected Sheriff-Coroner opposes it.
I received a message today from a friend that was clearly meant to show their disappointment in me for coming out against Measure A. I have had communication from some people I know who say A will kill the farming industry, put migrant farmworkers out of work, and turn San Benito County into the next San Jose. If proponents of A are saying these things, that is terribly disappointing.
I do not support more, large-scale housing, and I don’t appreciate the state “making us” build homes. I strongly urge you to look into the REHA from 1969 and all the new laws enacted that make saying no to housing nearly impossible in most cases. However, that is not why I oppose A. Unfortunately, the claim of massive growth in housing is a main talking point of A’s proponents. It is said the “No on A” people are for more housing. For me, that is simply not the case.
Also, as a founding member of the Migrant Farmworker Task Force, championed by Mickie Luna, I take offense to the implication I would support something that would proactively put our migrant workers out of a job. I would never knowingly support such a thing.
Having said that, I am hopeful Measure A will be defeated for these reasons:
- Your Sheriff’s Office is terribly under-funded and under-staffed. The county is unsure if they can, or how they will be able to pay for fire protection. And, we all know about our aging roads and infrastructure. We need strong commercial economic development in this county to support our county departments. Our general fund is too small, and we need tax revenue to fund much needed services like public safety. Public safety is the primary function of your government. This can be accomplished through smart commercial projects. If Measure A passes, and all land use decisions go to a vote of the people, then no business will ever try to come here. In essence our revenue streams will cease to grow as needed.
- I believe in our representative form of governance in this country. Example, we elect representatives to the Board of Supervisors to be able to get things done in a more expeditious manner. In fact, the voters have a say in who they elect. That is the beauty of the system. I find it incredible that people running for, and who are seated as your elected representatives, are telling you that land use needs to be the only thing voted on by everyone, every time. It is like me asking you to elect me as sheriff, but then ask you to make all the decisions by a countywide vote when I need to decide something for the office and community. If you trust your representatives to determine the budget, create county priorities, enact laws, and supervise the CAO, then you should trust them to make land use decisions. If they are doing it wrong, vote them out. How can they say trust us to do all of these things over here, but not this one thing over here? It makes no sense.
- I also strongly believe in property rights. Many people, and their families, have made sacrifices and investments in their property. Land value is very important to the tax base also. If we become a county where we take a persons property rights away, I fear land values will plummet further eroding our tax base. I believe government talking property rights away is wrong.
My good friend Bob Tiffany explained recently that ninety percent (90%) of all growth in our county has come from the incorporated cities of Hollister and San Juan Bautista. Measure A does nothing to impact these incorporated areas where 90% of the growth has occurred. For full disclosure, I have not “fact checked” this. However, I trust Mr. Tiffany and all the others who have joined me in opposing Measure A. Farmers, ranchers, businesspersons, Republicans, Democrats, the Farm Bureau, and public safety professionals all agree, Measure A will decimate an already underfunded county.
We need smart commercial development to capture dollars that are being spent in our neighboring counties. I need this tax revenue to fund my office adequately to keep you all safe. Right now, we have 2-3 deputy sheriffs patrolling 1400 square miles. We cannot even surround a house. That should not be ok with anyone living here. But the county needs money to fund my office. Measure A will kill that revenue stream. That puts us all at risk.
Please join me in saying “No Way on A!”
Eric S. Taylor – Sheriff/Coroner – County of San Benito
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