As we move towards the Thanksgiving Day holiday, you might forget that the California State Legislature is still in session. Actually, it’s in session twice! A special session on health care and a special session on water are both “open for business,” and the rumor is that the Governor has persuaded Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez, and Senate President pro Tem Don Perata, to get their Houses to authorize a water bond issue that would provide three billion dollars for new dams. If true, it’s appropriate that this proposed “deal” should come to light during Thanksgiving week, since such dam projects are the biggest turkeys yet proposed to the people of California.

Central Coast residents who don’t want to borrow more money to subsidize agribusiness (at a time when a massive budget crisis looms over the state), had better contact Senator Joe Simitian, Senator Abel Maldonado, and Assembly Members Anna Caballero and John Laird, and let them know how you feel. They will presumably be voting soon on this special interest giveaway.

A bond issue needs a 2/3 vote, which means that almost all Democrats are going to have to vote for it, if it’s to pass. How, in the space of three weeks, could the Governor get the Democrats in the Legislature to carry his water on this? My bet? By promising them, directly or indirectly, to help the Legislative leaders extend their terms. Heads up, folks! The very worst features of our political process appear poised for action.

For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.

More Information

You can get contact information for all members of the California State Legislature at the “LegInfo” website
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html.

Central Coast residents should contact:

• Assembly Member John Laird
• Assembly Member Anna Caballero
• Assembly Member Sam Blakeslee
• Senator Joe Simitian
• Senator Abel Maldonado
• Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez
• Senate President pro Tem Don Perata

See the Friends of the River critique of new dams
http://www.friendsoftheriver.org/site/
PageServer?pagename=FORDamLiesArticle

The Monterey County Board of Supervisors is meeting today, and though the Board usually meets on Tuesdays, today’s meeting is a “special meeting.” That means that the Board did not actually plan to meet during this holiday week when they adopted their yearly schedule. At some point, though, the Board obviously decided that they did need to meet, and so they directed all the special notices that are required when a “special meeting” is called. At a “special meeting,” the Board is only authorized to consider items specifically listed in the special meeting notice. So, what are those? What is the “special business” that has required this “special meeting” during Thanksgiving week?

While there are a few minor items on the agenda that don’t seem to have any urgency about them, the Board is slated to spend most of its “special meeting” time behind closed doors. So-called “closed sessions” are allowed when the Board discusses litigation, and that’s what’s going on today. So, don’t rush down to the County Courthouse to find out what’s happening. The Board won’t let you listen to what they’re saying.

Today’s special meeting involves litigation related to the Board’s approval of the Rancho San Juan development, the largest development ever proposed in Monterey County, and one that the public has voted against twice. Lawsuits are still pending from both sides. If I had to guess, the Board is trying to figure out how to “settle” those lawsuits. That will require creativity, to be sure, but most County residents are probably hoping that the Board succeeds!

For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.

More Information

Board of Supervisors Agenda Link
http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/cttb/agenda.htm

Supplement to the Board’s Agenda
http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/cttb/suppagenda111307.htm

The San Luis Obispo County Planning Commission will be meeting on November 29th, and an important land use policy item will be on the agenda. I’ve posted links to information about the item, and you can locate those links below.

Listeners may remember that I keep insisting that General Plan policies, as adopted in each county by the Board of Supervisors, or by a vote of the people, are the most important policies governing the future growth and development of our local communities. If you’re a San Luis Obispo County resident, take a look at the Planning Commission Agenda for its November 29th meeting, and especially look at Agenda Item 3.

On November 29th, the Planning Commission will hold a continued hearing on proposed “smart growth” policies to be included in the San Luis Obispo County General Plan. These policies won’t become effective until adopted by the Board of Supervisors, but Boards of Supervisors typically take the recommendations of the Planning Commission very seriously. The key question is, is the County actually accomplishing “smart growth” by adopting the proposed policies? If you are interested in helping to shape the future development of San Luis Obispo County, there is still time to become involved. The staff report provides lots of information that you can use.

For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.

More Information

San Luis Obispo Website
http://www.slocounty.ca.gov/site4.aspx

Planning Commission Staff Report on Growth Strategies
http://slocounty.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?
view_id=3&event_id=9&meta_id=72131

November 29, 2007 Planning Commission Agenda
http://slocounty.granicus.com/AgendaViewer.php?
view_id=3&event_id=9

A helpful guide, for those wanting to become involved in General Plan policy development, is “Land Use and the General Plan,” as published by LandWatch Monterey County. You can get a copy of this publication here.

This is the day we set aside to be grateful (and I guess it’s fair to say that gorging on savory comestibles does help remind us of that). Good food, and good company, for those who have them, are genuine blessings.

There are, of course, other blessings we enjoy. Let me suggest to you, not to keep harping on my favorite theme, that our system of democratic and participatory self-government (at least when practiced in accordance with the system we’ve created) is one of the greatest blessings we might imagine. Our system of self-government is a blessing because it recognizes, in a fundamental way, two truths of our existence that can be easily overlooked. Thanksgiving Day is actually a good time to bring them to mind.

First, we are not just a collection of “individuals.” Each one of us, beyond our individual existence, is a member of the community; in fact, we are members of a number of different communities. Just as the Pilgrims couldn’t have survived had they not relied on community (and even community with those they did not immediately appreciate as being part of their world, namely, the Native Americans who made their survival possible), we need each other to survive and prosper. We need to work together.

Second, we make the conditions of our own existence, and inhabit, most directly, a world that we create. Working together, any dream of abundance we have can be accomplished. And as we also find: any nightmare as well!

For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.

In the transcript for today’s Land Use Report, available on the KUSP website, I’ve provided information about the Wireless Radiation Alert Network (or WRAN) a Santa Cruz County-based group that takes the potential health effects of wireless radiation very seriously. Maybe we should all be taking it more seriously! Helen Caldicott, a pediatrician and a co-founder of Physicians for Social Responsibility, is quoted by WRAN as saying that “radio frequencies emitted from mobile telephone towers will have deleterious medical effects to people within the near vicinity, according to a large body of scientific literature. Babies and children will be particularly sensitive to the mutagenic and carcinogenic effects of the radio frequency radiation.”

If you do contact WRAN, they’ll provide you, as they did me, with a list of local government contacts. Local governments, through their land use powers, do have at least some ability to address wireless radiation issues. I say “some” ability because the full scope of local police powers have been “preempted” by federal regulations governing communications.

According to WRAN, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors will be considering wireless radiation issues at their meeting on Tuesday, December 4th. If you’re interested in the public health ramifications of wireless radiation, you might want to mark your calendars now.

For KUSP, this is Gary Patton.

More Information

If you would like more information on the Wireless Radiation Alert Network (WRAN) contact Angela Flynn by email at angelaflynn80@msn.com, or by telephone at 831-469-4399. You may also contact Marilyn Garrett by telephone at 831-688-4603.