Measure K, Part Three

Over the course of my last two columns I have tried to explain both the Veterans perspective and the gambling issue raised against Measure K. In this column I want to wrap up the discussion and touch on several other issues and why I am voting for Measure K and against Measure M.

First, let me acknowledge that attempting to take the authority away from our locally elected officials by initiative is a terrible way to govern. This initiative process is full of special interests and unintended consequences that eliminate local authority. Measure K came about as a response to those wishing to take away access to the land promised for the Veterans Cemetery and the land for future economic development by the initiative process (Measure M). It was not a fight that was chosen rather a reaction to “secure the promise” made to our Veterans and the community as a whole.

As much as the Measure M people want you to believe, the Monterey Downs project is not approved by Measure K. Yes, it is an allowed usage of the land as it is currently under the Ft. Ord Reuse plan. If that project were to go forward it would still have to complete an EIR and be approved by the City of Seaside and Monterey County… not by the approval of Measure K.

What Measure M would do is make any project on this land impossible. That would include any project that would bring the jobs needed in our community. Under the Sierra Club agreement with FORA years ago, this land was set aside for economic development – again, Measure K keeps that promise.

As a reminder, the former Ft. Ord property is approx. 28,000 acres - about the size of the City and County of San Francisco. Of that, over 20,000 acres are already preserved as open space forever. This open space includes all the National Monument acrege, Ft. Ord Dunes State Park and hundreds of acres of other parks, open space and right of ways. These areas are full of hiking, biking and riding trails destined to create recreational opportunities for generations to come.

On the remaining 8,000 acres we have all of CSUMB, UC Santa Cruz, Monterey College of Law, MPC, York and Chartwell schools. Schools that produce educated workers in need of local jobs. We also have the Marina development areas that include The Dunes Shopping Center, Marina Heights, Preston and Abrahms Parks, the Marina Airport and the ill fated Cypress Knowles project. It also includes land in Del Rey Oaks and Monterey, the Bayonet and Blackhorse Golf Courses, Seaside Highlands and the 540 acres subject to these initiatives. Each and every one of these projects are designed and approved to bring jobs and housing (in balance) to replace those left behind when Ft. Ord closed.

Just as the National Monument is a work in progress, so are the development areas. These areas will take years and years to become fully developed as demand for them allows. What is clear is that if we are to provide the jobs needed in our communities to sustain our local economy we need to keep the promises made in the past. These are the reasons why voting Yes on K and No on M are important to all of us.

More later…

Measure K, Part Two

In my last column I presented the case for Measure K from the Veterans Cemetery prospective. In this column I will look at one of the issues raised by the Measure K opponents. I will conclude my series of articles next time with a look at the land use issues that are answered in Measure K.

I know this may come as a shock to many of you, just as it was to Captain Renault in the famous scene from Casablanca when he said “I'm shocked... shocked to find that gambling is going on in there” but gambling happens each and every day in our communities. It could be your latest wager over the 49er game, perhaps March Madness, a friendly poker game or playing the lottery. It could also be at one of several legal card rooms in Monterey County. It could also be at our local Monterey Fairgrounds in the form of satellite wagering. All are considered gambling so it’s quite disingenuous of the opponents of Measure K to think of this as a major reason to oppose it.

So let’s look at what is legal gambling specifically on the land of the former Ft. Ord. Many years ago it was feared that a large Indian Casino might be built on the former Ft. Ord property. As a result of this fear the FORA (Ft. Ord Reuse Authority) Board specifically outlawed all forms of gambling with the exception of pari-mutuel betting, this at the insistence of the City of Monterey.

The City of Monterey at one point thought they would move the fairgrounds to the former Ft. Ord so they wanted to keep the cash flow that pari-mutuel betting currently brings in to the fairgrounds in the form of satellite wagering. Yes, you did read correctly, I did say currently. Satellite wagering has been going on at the Monterey County fairgrounds for years and yet we don’t hear a huge hue and cry over it now do we? So why, if it were available (though yet to be seen) would it be a problem in the future?

Could it be that the opponents of Measure K are attempting to divert the attention away from what the real benefits are of Measure K? Of course they are. They do not want to talk about the 25,000+ potential jobs that would be permanently lost if the opposing Measure M passes. We know we have thousands of acres of land for recreation but little Ft. Ord land for economic development.

Yes, I understand that some oppose a potential racetrack and that’s a discussion for later since Measure K does not approve any single development project. That decision will be up to the City of Seaside after the EIR is complete. For the sake of argument though, let’s say that Google or Apple wanted to build a facility on these lands. They would not be allowed to do so under Measure M – only Measure K would keep this land available for job creation.

Since it is jobs and careers that are needed in our community to sustain our regional economy, why would anyone fight against them? They wouldn’t, unless you want the land for more open space, then you would create a straw argument like gambling to divert the attention away from the real issue at hand.

So for the Veterans Cemetery and for the job potential that Measure K ensures, I urge you to vote Yes on Measure K and No on Measure M.

More later…

Measure K, Part One

I have had the privilege of working with some very dedicated and focused individuals over the course of the past few months. These people have one goal in mind - an honored resting place for our retired and active duty service members. They are working to “Keep the Promise” of a Veterans Cemetery at the former Ft. Ord.

In the first part of a series of articles about Measure K, I want to explore why the Veterans Cemetery is so important to our community and what stands in the way of it becoming a reality.

First: a little history. From its founding in the early 1900’s, Ft. Ord had served as the training ground for hundreds of thousands of Army soldiers until it’s closing in 1994. For many who served in Korea and Vietnam, Ft. Ord was the last place they stood on American soil. Many, who trained here, fell in love with the area and came back here to live after their service to raise their families and become vital members of our greater regional community.

As Sid Williams explained at the Measure K kick-off event at the proposed cemetery site, “those who served are bound together in a brotherhood”. Those that served and trained at Ft. Ord are indeed a brotherhood dedicated to fulfilling a commitment made to them when the base closed – that a Veterans Cemetery would be built.

Unfortunately, keeping this promise has been a challenge and some 20 years later this brotherhood is still waiting. Today, the promise of the Veterans Cemetery has never been so close, and yet it is in danger of never being built due to two competing Measures on your November ballot. Measure K will ensure that the Cemetery will be built, while Measure M endangers that effort.

Without getting too far into the weeds of the Measure, Measure M will limit the access to the proposed site in a way that will negate the Federal funding needed to build the cemetery. In fact, one of its primary backers stated that proper access will stop about a quarter mile from the cemetery itself. The Federal government requires ADA compliant roads to service all Federal projects. Measure M will make such a requirement impossible to fulfill, thus removing the funding and stopping the cemetery.

I fully support Measure K to “Keep the Promise” made to our Veterans and all active duty military who choose to be laid to rest close to home on Ft Ord. I hope that you will do everything you can to help us fulfill the promise made to them and vote Yes on Measure K, No on Measure M.

Next time I will go deeper into some of the land use issues that Measure K reaffirms and why it is important to you and the future of our entire region.

More later

More random thoughts...

Its Labor Day weekend as I write this version of Marina Matters, the official end of summer, so I thought I would catch up on some random thoughts this week.

You tell your kids not to do something bad or they will be in trouble. Even they know to anticipate the negative consequences of their actions if they do it anyway. You don’t come back and say in three weeks I am going to take away your toys for a day as a result of disobeying me. Our President has simply lost whatever credibility he had over the Syrian issue. It’s a position he never should have put himself or the Country into.

Interesting reactions to my last column about the City’s proposed card room tax. Of those that have reacted, it seems to be running about two to one in agreement with my position. The argument from those that disagree with me seems to be that they understand my position (and many agree) but the City needs the money now so we have to approve it. Again, I would rather lose the revenue from the Card Room Tax and make sure that M & N have a reasonable chance of re-approval in the future. As it stands right now, the voters will simply not reapprove M & N next year. Our City Council must get a wakeup call now and this is the only way we can get their attention.

As the calendar moves from August to September the boys of summer are closing on the playoffs. It seems clear that the Giants will not make it this year but the A’s are right in the middle of it all. Let’s hope they can keep up the momentum and represent our region well. Our area can certainly support two baseball teams so it’s not too late to get on board and support the A’s into the playoffs!

Of course, September really means that football is back! The college teams started this weekend and the pros start on Thursday night. The 49’ers are anticipating a run for the Super Bowl and the Raider’s… well the best thing for them (or us) is that most games will be blacked out. Of course, as a Chicago Bear and Denver Bronco fan, I know the ups and downs of the game. A true fan will stand by their team regardless… so here’s to Da’ Bears and the Bronco’s this year!

Finally, I will write my next column in support of Measure K (Keep the Promise) and against Measure M on our November ballot. The implications of these measures for the future of our entire region are huge and I want to devote a lengthy column to explain why. It is important to hear all the facts, not the made up arguments of a few with their own agenda. More on that next time!

More later...

 

Violence

California is truly becoming a scary place. Our region is certainly reflective of that thought as we are seeing a tremendous spike in violent crime from Santa Cruz to Seaside and especially in Salinas. Unfortunately, we have seen this before and it’s not pretty. Many innocent people get caught up as peripheral damage to gang wars and needless assaults and violence.

Just in the last week we have seen a running gun battle through the streets of Santa Cruz as two cars shot at each other resulting in at least one death. We saw a security guard at a 99 cent store stabbed to death when he did not have a key to a safe in Salinas. We had a drive-by shooting in Seaside that resulted in another death. We have seen multiple attacks, shootings and even some that seem to target our police that have resulted in multiple deaths. That’s all this past week.

Yes, violence seems to step up over the summer as if that is an excuse. People, wake up! We have a serious problem here and it needs to be addressed in each of our communities now!

We have a State and Federal economy that has produced fewer and fewer jobs, especially for our youth.  We have a Governor that is releasing career criminals back into our communities to address overcrowded prisons. We have a State legislature that has refused to address this issue for at least a generation. We have an education system that has failed our students no matter how much money we seem to throw at it. As a result many of the people and companies that can hire and help with the situation are simply leaving the State due to taxes and regulations, and yes, crime.

In Marina, we have held our own against this tidal wave of violence that is surrounding us by trying to maintain a strong Recreational program despite a City budget that’s working against it. We have a great police force that is working harder and harder to protect our community with great success but with dwindling resources. This combination has worked well to date but we cannot assume anything in the future.

We are in a battle for the minds of our youth and we all need to do what we can to work with them, to help provide safe places to grow up, to educate them and help provide jobs where possible. We need mentors to stand up and show them that there is another way, that with desire and education they can still succeed in their world despite the pressure and temptations.

Here is a plea to all that care about the future of our community. Do what you can; no matter how small a role you can play. Donate money to a cause that supports education and/or recreational activities. Volunteer your time to help an organization that works with our local students, no matter the age group. Truly listen to what our politicians and activist are saying. Tell them to stop with the excuses and do what is right not for our society, not their next election.

Things will not change overnight. We know that, but they won’t change at all without your help!

More later

Random Thoughts....

Sometimes there are so many things going on in the world, in the area and in our personal lives that narrowing things down to a single thought for a column every couple of weeks is challenging. Even the events over the last 24 hours (I am writing this on Sunday morning) fill the mind with all sorts of random thoughts.

Let’s work backwards a bit…

To start on a lighter note, Tim Lincecum threw a no-hitter for the struggling Giants. Congratulations! Perhaps ending the first half of the season on a high note bodes well for the second half for them. Meanwhile, the A’s have had a great first half and we hope they can continue that effort the second half of the season.

On a more serious note, the jury acquitted George Zimmerman in Florida. It was clear from many of the pundits, from both sides, that the State had a very weak case based on Florida law. You can argue all you want with the law itself, which will certainly happen in the weeks to come, but this case was turned into far more than it was by politics and race. Unfortunately, cases like this happen almost every day around the Country which is the tragedy we should be addressing.

It seems the world is getting ready for the birth of a new royal soon. The future king or queen of England (third in line) should happen almost any day now. Let’s hope that the positive thoughts and well wishes transcend a lot of the negative thoughts and actions around the world, even for just a few minutes.

It was reported last week that we have more people on food stamps and other related food programs than ever before in our nation’s history. I can understand an uptick through the recession but these numbers should be going down as the nation’s economy slowly recovers. Instead they are increasing. I think it should be clear to all that our “War on Poverty” is not working and we need to change strategies.

Locally, I am proud to say that The Marina Foundation efforts to secure an ADA equipped Van for the City of Marina should take a huge step forward on Tuesday night. The City Council will hopefully formally accept the funds and authorize the purchase of the Van itself. We will have a ceremonial presentation of the check to the City soon. If all goes well from here we hope to have the Van here by Labor Day!

Finally, it looks like the two initiatives regarding Ft. Ord have qualified to be on the November ballot for voters to decide on. It should make for a very interesting election and a lot of dialog between the two sides of the issue. Voters should be very aware of what the real issues are as they contemplate their vote. I will dedicate more than one column in the future to this debate but I will make it clear now that I fully support the efforts of the United Veterans Council and the Secure the Promise initiative.

Of course there is one more thought…. Football season is now less than eight weeks away!

More later

The 4th of July

It seems like only yesterday that we were celebrating the 4^th of July. What a busy year it has been!

For many, it will be a four day weekend so the usual cautions and words of advice always apply. Use only safe and sane fireworks, use plenty of sunscreen, keep an eye on all the kids and have fun!

That said, it is a time to rejoice in the freedoms that we enjoy as citizens of this wonderful Country. Now, especially with so many issues on the table that seem to be divisive we need to remember and celebrate our right to freedom of speech. Yes I know you may not agree with what someone is saying but they have a right to say it, no matter how offensive it is to you. This is something you cannot control. What you can control is the way you react to it. Rather than condemn or ridicule, acknowledge their point of view and respectfully disagree or simply walk away. Not everything needs to be a confrontation; we have enough of those events in our daily lives.

Unfortunately, one of things that we cannot celebrate is the use of common sense. There are so many things in this world that are counter to us that we don’t know where to start. This being the 4^th of July, we will see all sorts of videos of people doing things without using their own common sense. People will get hurt, others will laugh at the stupidity but no one seems to want to step in and offer some sage advice and common sense. That also goes for everyday situations as well as the overall state of government and politics worldwide.

It seems to me that a few able bodied and intelligent people can find things that they agree on, that they can compromise on and continue to talk about the things they disagree on. It can be done without name calling, back stabbing or threats of retaliation for actions only imagined. This includes the need to be done without a nod to any special interest but rather for the common good of the majority, regardless of the issue or situation.

Of course all of this does tie together. Celebrate your right to express yourself this weekend AND use your own common sense. Discuss those things that hinder moving forward AND re-learn the word compromise. After all, isn’t it the freedom of expression that we celebrate on the 4^th of July?

More later…