Paso Robles News|Friday, March 29, 2024
You are here: Home » Opinion » Letter: Vote ‘yes’ on water district to protect your interests
  • Follow Us!

Letter: Vote ‘yes’ on water district to protect your interests 

To the editor,Submit news of Letter to the editor

–We’ve all been bombarded with news and commentary about the water district election. Despite all the rumors, wild conspiracy theories and unsubstantiated claims. The issue before voters and landowners in rural North County is quite simple.

Who is going to be responsible for management of the Paso Robles Groundwater Basin Rural residents and landowners like me and my neighbors have an opportunity to say “yes.”

We have a choice.

• “Yes” we want to be in control of managing our water.
• “Yes” we want that management to be local, just like we have local management of our school districts.
• “Yes” we want to keep the county supervisors out of managing our water.
• “Yes” we want to keep the state out of managing our water.
• “Yes” we want to insure there will be no export of water. The local water district can not export water because it’s in the law. The county and state can export.
• “Yes” we want rural residents and small landowners to have a “say.” Rural residents and small landowners will elect 5 of the 9 directors.

If either of the two measures fails, then you will have no choices and others in San Luis Obispo or Sacramento will be making the decisions for you starting 2017.

• A “no” vote means higher taxes. That’s right, higher taxes. Just the opposite of what you have been told; you have been lied to. The county has determined what it will cost to manage the basin according to the new State Law SGMA. Both county and state officials have said locals will pay for management. If there are no funds available locally for management and a GSA is not formed, then the state will step in and you will be charged whatever the state determines without your consent, just like the new fire protection fee most rural resident have been charged. It will cost you a lot more if the state is managing.
• A “no” vote means you want to let someone else other than your neighbors manage our basin.

Yes, let’s keep it local.

Jerry Reaugh
Rural Paso Robles resident, landowner, farmer, chairman of Paso Robles Agricultural Alliance for Groundwater Solutions.

Share To Social Media

Comments

About the author: News Staff

The news staff of the Paso Robles Daily News wrote or edited this story from local contributors and press releases. The news staff can be reached at info@pasoroblesdailynews.com.