Larger image of the three of us
http://smartvoter.org/2009/11/03/ca/mnt/vote/smith_j/
Hello, fellow residents of Carmel Valley;
A funny thing happened to me on my way here today…I got stuck in traffic. Right, not funny. Let’s change that. Here’s how.
Let us become citizens of the Town of Carmel Valley. Here’s why:
Chart on left from internet test so it must be true.
town@townofcarmelvalley.com
12. John Barry Smith (Retired Military Officer) 541 Country Club Dr, Carmel Valley, 93924 (res.);
barry@johnbarrysmith.com; www.townofcarmelvalley.com 831-659-3552 (day)
JOHN BARRY SMITH
Occupation: Retired military officer Age: 65
Education and Qualifications:
MUHS, MPC graduate, Master’s Degree in Communicative Disorders/Audiology from CSUF (Fresno). FAA pilot’s commercial license, instrument rated. Ten active years US Navy as flight crewman and ten active years US Army as audiologist. Honorably retired as major US Army.
With my wife and daughter I have lived in Carmel Valley in our homes on Country Club Drive for 21 years.
I understand transportation safety issues which are relevant to make Carmel Valley Road, our lifeline and backbone, safe and smooth flowing. The tranquility of our valley must be maintained and through my experience with community noise exposure surveys I will strive to keep our valley quiet, serene, and peaceful. As a director of EENT clinics in several hospitals I have experience in meetings, computers, budgets and staffing. I worked on the old Carmel Valley Sun newspaper as a reporter and advertising representative which gave me insight into the many varied professions and diversity of the people of our valley.
If elected my priorities shall be to represent the will of the citizens of the Town of Carmel Valley and to ensure that the magnificent quality of life we enjoy in our valley shall continue. http://www.townofcarmelvalley.com
Political issues: There are many spoken issues about whether or not to incorporate the Carmel Valley population into a town; there are also many unspoken ones.
Some of the unspoken issues are not especially relevant to incorporation decisions, such as: Abortion rights, capital punishment, health care reform, internet regulation, and separation of church and state.
There are unspoken issues that are relevant to the policies of a Town Council should the Town of Carmel Valley come into existence:
1. Immigration control.
Immigration: I respect the hard working honest person regardless of where he or she comes from, or their religion, or their sexual orientation, or their taste in music or footwear. I try very hard to judge a person's character by their performance, not how many tattoos or piercings in their face. I trust persons who do what they say they will do. I understand the desires of the immigrants to come here and I understand the desires of those already here to not have any more immigrants. My position is to maintain the status quo, as unfair to both sides as it is.
2. Gun control.
Guns: I am for gun control: That is, I want control of my guns. I understand those that want to ban all firearms entirely and I understand those that want unrestricted use of any and all firearms.
I was issued a handgun in the Navy while I flew over enemy territory and received instruction on its use. I have two handguns in my home. I bought them through the system of a private seller and a licensed dealer who handled both transactions, conducted the mandated firearm safety written test, then I waited the mandatory waiting period while my file was checked, and paid my money.
The two weapons are locked up with ammo separated. I go to Laguna Seca Firing Range occasionally to keep current on gun safety and familiarity with the weapons.
Education on the power of firearms will reduce the threat of irresponsible use more than encourage it. Bears and boars are only threats in the further distances from the town. Mountain lions are a threat.
My position on gun control is to maintain the status quo while emphasizing education on gun safety. There shall be no new ordinances regarding firearms nor any rescinded.
Wiki:
There are several versions of the text of the Second Amendment, each with slight capitalization and punctuation differences, found in the official documents surrounding the adoption of the Bill of Rights.[4] One such version was passed by the Congress, which reads:[5]
“ A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed. ”
Another version is found in the copies distributed to the states, and then ratified by them, which had this capitalization and punctuation:[6]
“ A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. ”
The original hand-written copy of the Bill of Rights, approved by the House and Senate, was prepared by scribe William Lambert and resides in the National Archives.
3. Wildlife control.
Wildlife in rural areas: We are intruding on their territory. We are the guests. They have been here for more generations than us. The wildlife are in a life and death conflict in our valley and they play for keeps. Killing them is a last resort for safety, not the first response.
4. Illegal drugs.
Change the law; don't break the law.
There are other issues which concern us in basic ways:
Threats to our well being:
Minor risk, serious consequences, but exaggerated threats:
1. The illegal aliens are probably not going to take all our jobs.
2. The drug addicts are probably not going to mug us.
3. The criminals are probably not going to steal our identities.
4. The gangs are probably not going to invade our homes.
5. The terrorists are probably not going to blow up our buses.
6. The hackers are probably not going to steal our passwords.
7. The police are probably not going to taser us.
8. The government is probably not going to tax us to death.
Moderate risk, serious consequences, but underestimated threats:
1. Fire is the biggest, the most likely, and the worst; let us never forget or become complacent. Many of us live on one way roads up canyons and Carmel Valley road is almost a one way road if blocked on one end. We can easily be trapped by natural disasters. Safety is a priority.
2. Floods are real threats for those on the valley floor.
3. Mudslides are real threats for those on the hills.
4. Earthquakes for all of us.
4. Carmel Valley Road blocked by fire, flood, mudslides, or earthquake damage is a threat we can do something about by being prepared to unblock that vital lifeline road.
It appears to me that all parties want the same thing: Keeping Carmel Valley rural and sparsely populated. I assume this means avoiding dense population, congestion, noise, and crime. Both sides believe their way is the better way to ensure "Rural". I prefer 'Rural applies to sparsely settled or agricultural country:'
From internet:
rural·ly adv.
Synonyms: rural, bucolic, rustic, pastoral
These adjectives all mean of or typical of the country as distinguished from the city. Rural applies to sparsely settled or agricultural country: "I do love quiet, rural England" (George Meredith).
Bucolic is often used pejoratively or facetiously of country people or their manners: "The keenest of bucolic minds felt a whispering awe at the sight of the gentry" (George Eliot).
Rustic frequently suggests a lack of sophistication or elegance, but it may also connote artless and pleasing simplicity: "some rustic phrases which I had learned at the farmer's house" (Jonathan Swift). The hiker slept in a charming, rustic cottage.
Pastoral, which evokes the image of shepherds, sheep, and verdant countryside, suggests serenity: The train passed through pastoral landscapes.
rural - living in or characteristic of farming or country life; "rural people"; "large rural households"; "unpaved rural roads"; "an economy that is basically rural"
urban - located in or characteristic of a city or city life; "urban property owners"; "urban affairs"; "urban manners"
rural - relating to the countryside as opposed to the city; "rural electrification"; "rural free delivery"
Well, Carmel Valley is rural in some places and not rural in others. The mouth of the Valley is indeed 'urban', as is Mid-Valley and the Village but in a nice way.
Will a Town keep what we call 'rural' longer than if the Country of Monterey is in charge?
Which government agency has the best interests of Carmel Valley residents as a priority?
In looking at the bright side, the proponents for the Town of Carmel Valley describe a town where the budget is balanced and even a surplus after a while, the local police control crime, the Fire and School Districts take care of their business as usual, traffic remains manageable, the population remains steady, hazards are avoided, jobs and prosperity abound, and we live happily ever after. Well, that's a start.
The opponents to the Town of Carmel Valley describe a town that is bankrupt financially, crime runs rampant, houses burn down, developments bring thousands of people, tourists defile the landscape, traffic gridlock, and babies cry endlessly.
Letter printed in the Carmel Pine Cone:
Dear Editor,
When I became a candidate for council in the possible Town of Carmel Valley I wanted to get involved with my community but was undecided to incorporate or not. I am now decided to favor incorporation.
My decision is based on factual research of the past, reasonable evaluation of the pre- sent and professional appraisals of the future.
The central issue is this: Are the citizens of Carmel Valley better served by five mem- bers of the local town community that can be voted in or voted out of office or are we bet- ter served by five members of a huge county community when only one can be voted in or out? It is taking control of one’s destiny, for better or worse, and not leaving it to
strangers.
There are two ethical considerations for voters and candidates: If a voter is against incorporation then he/she should vote
against it and abstain from voting for any town council candidate because a vote for a council member implies a desire for a town which the first vote excludes. If a candidate for town council is dead set against incorporation then he/she should campaign against incorporation and withdraw his/her candidacy as an act of honesty. To con- tinue to denigrate the existence of the town and then volun- teer to administer should it become a town is dishonorable and a betrayal to all the citizens who voted for incorporation expecting loyal leadership.
An analogy is of a ship that may or may not set sail soon and someone is saying it shouldn’t, but if it does sail it won’t float and will sink, injuring all aboard and yet that naysayer volunteers to crew.
The passengers get to choose the crew to whom they are entrusting their lives. If the ship does sail with the pessimist now a crew member, he will certainly have motive to make sure it does sink so that he can say, “I told you so,” causing a self fulfilling prophecy giving great satisfaction to himself. In a way that’s sabotage.
John Barry Smith, Carmel Valley
Reasons for: By John Barry Smith
1. To govern ourselves. We started out a hundred plus years ago with Native Americans and then a few settlers and missionaries. Small communities of residents came into existence such as the Village, Mid Valley, and the mouth of the Valley. We are governed by the Federal government, the State government, and the County government. It's time to have a closer more responsive government for us, a town government. It's time to grow up. We would be replacing a government agency, the County of Monterey Board of Supervisors, made up of five persons who don't even live in Carmel Valley and only one elected from this area with a town council of five persons who live in the Valley. In a democracy the voice of the electorate carries weight and we need to have an electorate represented by a town council. The council can be voted out and replaced should the citizens of the Town of Carmel Valley choose while four of the five members of the Board of Supervisors are not held accountable to the Valley citizens.
2. The money to manage the town is there. According to the best estimates by professional appraisers about funding based on tax income and expenditures, there is ample money to run the new Town of Carmel Valley without compromising safety and efficiency. LAFCO, (LAFCO is the Local Agency Formation Commission of Monterey County) the independent agency charged with evaluating the budgets for a new town, has officially concluded in the 'Update to the Comprehensive Fiscal Analysis of the Proposed Incorporation of Carmel Valley' which was prepared by Economic & Planning Systems, Inc. November 2008 (CFA):
For larger images of pictures below:
Where does the current and future income money come from?
LAFCO analysis reports:
Property tax
Sales tax
Property transfer tax
Franchise fees
Transient Occupancy tax
Planning and building revenues
Public Works/Engineering
Fines and Penalties
State Motor Vehicle License Fees
Investment Earnings.
Road Fund which includes the Road Fund Sales Tax, Local Transportation Funds Sales Tax Share, Gas Tax, State Regional Transportation Funds, Grants and other funds.
Where does the money go:
LAFCO analysis:
Regardless of the predictions of the future, the money is there and lots of it. The income may go down or up depending on the current economic situation but then the expenses go up and down also. The allocation of financial resources will be decided by the elected representatives who are answerable to the voters. The education level, the affluence, the experience of the electorate of Carmel Valley will ensure that the monies are spent fairly with accountability. Normal services such as Fire and School Districts will remain unchanged. From LAFCO CFA:
3. Status will go up as well as property values once incorporation occurs. Currently the status of residents and home owners of Carmel Valley is that of living in an unincorporated area of a mainly rural county, such as Prunedale and Cachagua. With incorporation, the Town of Carmel Valley will instantly achieve a high status based on current home values, desirable location, above average education levels of residents, and above average annual incomes. The proof of the high value and desirability of Carmel Valley is that thousands of visitors every year spend more money to stay in Carmel Valley for a few nights than they do in any local city hotels and that includes Carmel by-the-Sea, and Monterey.
4. Decisions about land use (including water) and open spaces will be better suited to the wishes of the people who actually live on or near those spaces after incorporation. Those important decisions will be made by the five member town council composed of neighbors or people you know or can know.
5. The opinions of the town council as representing the residents of Carmel Valley will have greater impact at County or State meetings compared to individual opinions by concerned citizens acting alone and representing only themselves. For example, water rationing, a very real threat to our quality of life. If the opinions about water rationing are presented to the state by elected representatives of a town and not those of an individual, those opinions of the council carry more weight and have a higher chance of being accepted and observed.
6. A Town Council can react faster to changes that imperil Valley residents such as water rationing, temporary traffic blockage or congestion, and to act faster to manage local events such as festivals. All the things that happen suddenly in the Valley will be better controlled by local control with local people on the spot to make decisions. There is an ox charging full tilt towards our valley and it's called overdevelopment. We live in a magic place, a paradise, and paradise is no longer a paradise when overcrowded, a sad fact but true. It's too late to revert back to the peaceful valley after all the homes, hotels, shops, and support buildings are created and functioning at full capacity. The ox of lowered quality of life will have gored us. Only locally elected officials can see the danger and have a chance of stopping that ox while the distant official supervisors only wait until after the impact to do anything and then it's too late.
7. The best reason to vote for incorporation is to ensure that the events that will maintain or improve the things we love about Carmel Valley, (our community home,) will become a reality and have a better chance with a town government in charge than if the events are left in the hands of those who first priority is not the well being of the residents of our valley; such as:
Peace,
Quiet,
Tranquility,
Security,
Fast and safe transportation,
Beauty,
Fair water allocation,
and Neighborliness.
8. Regardless of the government we choose to consent to, there is much to love in Carmel Valley which is outside the control of residents or outside government agencies; for instance, the climate change from one end of town to another. It can be very hot in the Village and very cold at the mouth of the valley. The weather can be dry in the Village and damp at the mouth. When up in the hills along the Valley, the fog bank can be seen moving out in the morning and moving in at dusk. The birds will still flock, the butterflies will still float, the deer will still munch, and the poison oak will still itch. The tourists sightseeing, the elderly poking along, the employees cruising to work, and the RVs taking up space will still mix reluctantly on Carmel Valley Road. We will still meet our neighbors at the small and supermarkets in the Village, MidValley, and the mouth and chat for a bit. We will still buy our pumpkins and Christmas trees locally. We will check out the plants, flowers, and trees for sale at the several nurseries along the road. We may find time to hike at Garland Ranch. We still pray for rain. We will worry about wildfires, earthquakes, and mountain lions. In other words, we will continue to be community of friends, neighbors, and strangers living and working in a rural and urban environment surrounded by beauty all year long.