Voice of the People: Please Vote “NO” on Measure C

This is the last time I will implore you to vote “NO” on Measure C. Election Day is November 5th. If you choose to vote “NO” it means you refuse to believe the same tired threats that have appeared on glossy flyers sent by a political group led by Mayor Pro Tem Sandoval, who has been “juicing” the tax for more than a year. Don’t fall for the propaganda carefully constructed by professionals from information supplied by City staffers, the same folks who brought you $2,000,000 in annual overhead for 12½ employees. Keep talking to yourself if you think, “I just don’t see how I have any choice but to vote ‘YES’.” Too many wrongs don’t make a right. Voting “NO” is your best possible option. Grand Terrace can’t disincorporate without a two-thirds vote and a financial plan to pay off debt. Grand Terrace will remain an independent city. At last Tuesday’s City Council meeting, City Attorney Adams, (who is contracted), validated everything I have been saying about our right to restructure City staffing by combining services and contracting to qualified professionals. California Law does not allow a “RoboCop” version of police protection where a private security firm can replace an arm of the government. But State Government Code 37103 does allow financial, economic, accounting, engineering, legal, and administrative services to be furnished by contract. Those “others” pay their own retirement benefits. The California Joint Powers Insurance Authority requires one City employee for the City to qualify for insurance under their program. City Manager Adams validated police service levels. Our 3½ square-mile city will still have police protection 24 hours a day, 7 days a week plus deputy service. We will not be below “acceptable” levels for rapid response to 911 calls or general police service. Measure C isn’t necessary to maintain roads. Road repair isn’t even in the current budget. I’d rather pay a user’s fee to keep the parks open any day than pay a Utility Tax to fund a bunch of bureaucratic nonsense! Please vote “NO” on Measure C.