The Goleta Valley is facing a crucial time in its history with the loss of its farms and open space. Certain business interests want to have the farms rezoned and turned into high density housing . I have joined with Jack Ruskey in running for the two seats on the Board of the GWD .We have specific proposals to preserve the farms and open space.
Jack Ruskey and I have for over the last two years attended and participated in almost all of the Board meetings of the Goleta Water District. We have also attended various committee meetings of the GWD's Board where crucial proposals were discussed. In addition, last year Jack and I were appointed by the Board to serve as members of the Citizens Water Rate Structure Committee which for many months reviewed factual data and received analysis from several highly qualified experts concerning the operations and current rate structure of the District. The Committee also reviewed, debated and rejected a new rate schedule for all customers which had been proposed by the staff of the District. The above months of extensive study and analysis educated Jack and I as to the need for changes in the policies and operations of the Goleta Water District. The future decisions about how to manage our water supply are crucial to the health and welfare of our community. We are committed to making a priority the repeal of the existing New Water Supply Charge which was adopted by the GWD approximately 10 years ago. This charge has stifled the creation of new farms and has forced many existing farms out of business because of the unreasonable amount charged for a new or larger water meter. In the last 10 years there have been no new farms developed in the Valley and only one meter was purchased by an existing farmer. The current charge for a new 2-inch agricultural meter is in excess of $340,000.00 thus making it economically impossible to establish a new farm. The survey done in July of this year by the Goleta Valley Chamber of Commerce cited the District's New Water Supply Charge as the reason why currently zoned open space is not economically viable for farming. The consequence of this fact is that the developers want to have the agricultural open space rezoned for development purposes. Jack and I will do everything possible to repeal this unreasonable and counter productive New Water Supply Charge if we are elected to the Board. The consequence of this charge is a policy decision of the current Board to dictate and insure that there will be no new farms in the Goleta Valley! The voters have not given the Goleta Water District this broad power to control the future of the Valley. This action is land planning by the Goleta Water District and is contrary to the articulated public policy and responsibilities of the County of Santa Barbara as well as the wishes of the Valley residents to preserve agriculture. No other water district on the South Coast has such a New Water Supply Charge! For over a year we have at various public Board meetings of the GWD, asked the Board to repeal this New Water Supply Charge as the main factor constraining agricultural growth in the Valley Our pleas have fallen on deaf ears. The Board in its last rate increase approved in May of this year even increased the New Water Supply Charge by 4%! The voters now have the opportunity to express their views on the decision by the GWD to eliminate or shrink farming in the Goleta Valley .A vote for Bertrando and Ruskey is the first step in saving farming and open space in the Valley.
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