Unlike many opponents of the proposed water district, we are not opposed to metering and regulating groundwater use. However, we want local control exercised by the local Flood Control District, an agency serving all county residents, rather than a board of directors consisting primarily of self-serving commercial agriculture property owners. Don’t be fooled by scare tactics. Sacramento will not take over basin management as long as the local Flood Control District continues to take care of it. This is the only way to truly preserve local control.
When we collected signatures for Pro Water Equity, their mission was a water district based on one vote per registered voter, not based on acreage. The group was headed by a small-vineyard owner who repeatedly voiced concerns about offending larger wineries because they might retaliate by not buying the grapes, therefore causing financial problems. Now that person is one of the four candidates running for a director’s slate in the tier representing rural residents. Two more candidates in that same group have financial interests in wine-related businesses and therefore a serious conflict of interest. That leaves one person who might conceivably represent rural residents. This is unacceptable for us!
— Inge Meinzer – Paso Robles
This article appears in Feb 11-18, 2016.
