El estado del condado de Monterey 1998
Mike Weaver Response to the State of Monterey County Report

Mike Weaver for Supervisor
Monterey County, District 2

Michael D. DeLapa, President
LandWatch Monterey County
May 22, 1998

Dear Mr. DeLapa,

The mystery of why I did not receive the LandWatch Report and cover letter with your questions I think has been solved. I believe it was probably sent to the Highway 68 Coalition's P.O. Box. I am no longer Chair of the Highway 68 Coalition. I stepped aside when I decided to run for Supervisor, to avoid any potential conflicts of interest. We worked hard to get non-profit, tax exempt status for the Highway 68 Coalition. The 68 Coalition's mail is being picked up about once a week by the current chair.

I had the opportunity to read most of your report about 11:00 p.m. last night on your website. I also read the press coverage of it in both the Californian and Herald newspapers. Based on that review, I would like to respond to your questions.

1) Yes I agree with LandWatch's assessment of planning issues in Monterey County.

2) Yes, I agree with LandWatch's recommendations. As you may know, I have been advocating an immediate moratorium on new projects in North County due to both the water problems (100% overdraft, saltwater intrusion and rising nitrate levels) and the Level of Service "F" that exist on Highway 101. I have also advocated a moratorium in Carmel Valley. What is needed is a nexus between water availability and land use. There is none now.

3) At one time small contractors in Monterey County could make a profit on buying an existing house, fixing it up and/or doing a remodel, and selling it. This has for the most part fallen by the wayside as the mega-developers like Kaufman and Broad, Award Homes, etc. are building hundreds of new homes (on former farmland) and have advertised "rent-to-own", and "$1 moves you in". Their sometimes in-house mortgage lending companies want bodies in their newly built houses as fast as possible. If they "reposses" these places in a few months or a year, so be it, they'll look for more bodies to fill them. Helping to build neighborhoods, ?, positively cash flow for corporation, definitely yes. These mega-out-of-town developers should not be welcomed in Monterey County. They bring in their own labor crews, and if they could figure a way for concrete not to dry so quickly, they would be importing that also. They buy a minimum of supplies locally. To a large extent, and judging by the advertising signs along the road heading south on Highway 101, they encourage the sale of houses to people who work in San Jose. This creates more traffic problems as we continue to head towards becoming a "bedroom community". It also costs the government (you and me) approximately $1.40 to provide services (schools, police, fire protection, libraries, roads, etc.) for every $1 that is collected in property taxes. WE ARE BUILDING OURSELVES BROKE! In the long term perspective, every house that is built by an out-of town mega-developer is one less house that could be built by a local contractor, using local labor. WHO IS BENEFITING FROM THE INSANITY? The answer often lies in the campaign contributions received by local incumbent politicians.

Also, please remember that there is often a difference between Corporate Agriculture in Monterey County and farmers. Two thirds of the farmland in the Salinas Valley is leased. It is leased by farmers who want to farm. This is what they do, that is their livelihood. Corporate Ag., it's been my experience, pays more attention to "the bottom line" than the long term outlook. Farmland today, may be sold soon, as it may be more "profitable" to mover operation to... (pick one) Arizona, Mexico, South America.

As far as affordable housing, at one time the re-use of For Ord was to provide affordable housing, according to the Monterey County General Plan. Remember the "re-use" of Fort Ord, prior to it becoming the mega-sprawl largest real estate development "opportunity" in the United States? To anyone who hasn't driven through the base and seen the hundreds of boarded up, empty houses, that are there, I would invite you to. Once source told me that if they were allowed to be sold, they would "kill" the real estate market. Tell that to the people who live in North Salinas or Alisal area who have attempted to sell their home unsuccessfully. They know what killing the market is, as they can't sell their homes because of the glut of new one for sale (Kaufman and Broad, etc.). Still, the houses in Fort Ord, with a little sweat equity, can be sold to people who wish to purchase a modestly priced and affordable house. It's politics that is preventing it.

Mike Weaver [Back to State of Monterey County Responses]