Everyone Loves the Circus

On 6/9/15 the Board of Supervisors had a public hearing on a possible referendum about the Newman Ridge project. I made the following statement:

“Not too long ago on my way into a local market I was approached by an agitated man. At first I thought he was a carnival barker in an old B movie. But he wasn’t tempting me to see the bearded lady or the five-legged frog. Instead, I was informed that our ranchers and farmers water was in danger unless I signed here.

It is a sad day for Amador County when dishonesty triumphs.  Deciding to rescind the favorable decision is to cave into a megalomania of well financed deceit. The other option, to have a vote in what will probably be a year and a half, could suspend the benefits of the project at best, and also subjects this County to a continued derisive debate with a group devoid of integrity.

I have followed this project since its public inception and have often publicly commented upon it.  I devoted a week to reading the EIR, including an independent study of the alleged air pollution. Since this project already has remediated old mines and will recycle old roadbed and will be critical to saving our railroad, the alternative to diesel trucks, I consider this project to be an environmental winner.

While it is easy to understand this shrieking abuse of environmentalism, it becomes sickening to consider what appears to be the nihilism involved and enviable outcome of economic suicide.”

At the hearing, however, we all learned that there were not the simplified two, but given the various consequences there were six options including a new consideration. Since the referendum petition contained the reclamation plan which is ministerial, not legislative, it may be invalid. As an example my recent reroofing permit is ministerial and could not be denied by a referendum of people trying to drive me out of the county. This problem arose despite the attorneys for both the county and the anti project LAWDA organization engaging in prior discussion.  Apparently for LAWDA, their fanaticism overruled legal tradition.

The Board of Supervisor voted unanimously to ask the court for clarification via an action for declaratory relief. Perhaps the referendum decision will be revisited later. At the very least this will delay the employment opportunities and cause us taxpayers an unnecessary expense.

Once again the anti project contingent portrayed the situation as if they were quoting a century old muckraking novel, seeing the supervisors as oppressors. And they present themselves, buttressed by their dishonest petition and referendum campaigns, as representing “the people”.  This hallow claim has been repeatedly shown as prosperous at every public meeting I have attended."

After my presentation at an Ione City Council hearing, people lined up to thank me for speaking on their behalf.  It was a very gratifying experience.

 Copyright 2015, Mark L. Bennett