I never thought I’d be interested in County politics, and I’m still a novice. Perhaps County politics is an acquired taste, like smelly cheese or fertilized eggs, biologically active and redolent enough to make the novice gag.
But the unincorporated Coastside has a huge stake in County government—and next to no influence. The County Times has a story on how the Board of Supervisors will look in the wake of Supervisor Mike Nevin’s departure.
The most interesting — and perhaps most telling — moment came when the board considered which supervisor it should appoint to the SamTrans board. Board President Rich Gordon had designs on the spot, but Supervisor Jerry Hill nominated new Supervisor Adrienne Tissier.
The move drew charges of “cronyism” from Gordon, who said there were already three other members of the SamTrans Board from Daly City and that the post should go to a non-Daly City resident. Hill said he believed Tissier’s experience would be invaluable on the board.
Hill, Tissier and Supervisor Rose Jacobs Gibson voted for Tissier, while Gordon and Supervisor Mark Church voted against the proposal. The split vote and Gordon’s comments were a departure from the consensus driven board under Nevin.
So what does it all mean?
One supervisor said he saw an alliance emerging between Hill, Tissier and Gibson with Church and Gordon on the other side.
In the same column, the Times took a look at the Peninsula Politics blog, whose headlines we’re featuring on Coastsider. PenPol has drawn attention to the Nevin-driven Daly City domination of the County and its transportation agencies.
Sources said former county Supervisor Mike Nevin believes the blogger is an aide for Assemblyman Leland Yee, D-San Francisco.
The source said Nevin believes the blog is slanted toward Yee and may be an attempt by Yee to hijack the political discussion on the Peninsula. Yee and Nevin will be squaring off for Jackie Speier’s State Senate seat.
A Yee aide quickly discounted that rumor.
There you have it, an anonymous source being quoted on the identity of an anonymous blogger. Maybe County politics is more interesting than I thought.
In Barry Parr's comments he says, among other things: "But the unincorporated Coastside has a huge stake in County government -- and next to no influence."
That is really not true, but to the extent that it is, it is the fault of the residents of the coastside area.
Let me explain, but first let me identify myself. My name is Richard Silver and I am the former clerk of the San Mateo Board of supervisors and before that I worked for former board member Tom Nolan.
During those 13 years I spent plenty of time involved in and dealing with coastside issues.
The Coastside residents of Montara, Moss Beach and El Granada have always complained about the lack of services they receive from the county and the lack of representation they receive.
In fact they tend to get better services for their taxes and certainly better representation.
The problem is that the residents don't get something that the county really can't provide or is too costly to provide.
They want a full range of "Municipal Government Services" (i.e. Library, Parks, planning, etc.).
The county is in the business of providing "County
Government Services" (Jails, Courts, Health & Welfare etc.).
That's not to say that the county can't and doesn't provide Muni service, it just that with the small base of people and the lack of a tax base, there it is just too costly to do it effectively.
For example, in an incorporated area, the sheriff is the primary law enforcement service. The level of service expected from a sheriff is generally lower that what a Municipal Police Department would provide.
But, in San Mateo County the Board of Supervisor made the decision that on the Coast and a few other incorporated areas, the level of law enforcement would be at the same level as in a City.
This cost more. In 1998, when I retired, it was almost double the cost. And who pays for it? ALL San Mateo County taxpayers, not just the folks in the area served.
That means that taxpayers in Daly City, Foster City and in any other city in San Mateo County, is paying for all their own local law enforcement and about half the cost of law enforcement within the unincorporated areas in Moss Beach, Montara and El Granada. This same inequity happens in the Fair Oaks area and San Mateo Highlands.
It is a municipal form of welfare.
I can give other examples if you would like.
As for the issue of representation? Maybe things have changed since I retired, but when I worked for the board it wasn't just the local supervisor that provided service, but all five supervisors and their staff.
But, there is a solution to the representation problem, incorporation or annexation to Half Moon Bay.
By incorporating as an independent city the area could have the full powers, privileges and duties of any other city in San Mateo County or the state. This idea has been studied before, but if the area was incorporated it would require a major tax increase (or a major increase of commercial businesses) just to maintain the current level of services.
Annexation to Half Moon Bay is most likely a better solution. It would create a larger base of population spreading the cost over a wider area. There would certainly be some efficacy of size.
The third choice is to leave things the way they are.
Richard Silver
In Barry Parr's comments he says, among other things: "But the unincorporated Coastside has a huge stake in County government -- and next to no influence."
That is really not true, but to the extent that it is, it is the fault of the residents of the coastside area.
Let me explain, but first let me identify myself. My name is Richard Silver and I am the former clerk of the San Mateo Board of supervisors and before that I worked for former board member Tom Nolan.
During those 13 years I spent plenty of time involved in and dealing with coastside issues.
The Coastside residents of Montara, Moss Beach and El Granada have always complained about the lack of services they receive from the county and the lack of representation they receive.
In fact they tend to get better services for their taxes and certainly better representation.
The problem is that the residents don't get something that the county really can't provide or is too costly to provide.
They want a full range of "Municipal Government Services" (i.e. Library, Parks, planning, etc.).
The county is in the business of providing "County Government Services" (Jails, Courts, Health & Welfare etc.).
That's not to say that the county can't and doesn't provide Muni service, it just that with the small base of people and the lack of a tax base, there it is just too costly to do it effectively.
For example, in an incorporated area, the sheriff is the primary law enforcement service. The level of service expected from a sheriff is generally lower that what a Municipal Police Department would provide.
But, in San Mateo County the Board of Supervisor made the decision that on the Coast and a few other incorporated areas, the level of law enforcement would be at the same level as in a City.
This cost more. In 1998, when I retired, it was almost double the cost. And who pays for it? ALL San Mateo County taxpayers, not just the folks in the area served.
That means that taxpayers in Daly City, Foster City and in any other city in San Mateo County, is paying for all their own local law enforcement and about half the cost of law enforcement within the unincorporated areas in Moss Beach, Montara and El Granada. This same inequity happens in the Fair Oaks area and San Mateo Highlands.
It is a municipal form of welfare.
I can give other examples if you would like.
As for the issue of representation? Maybe things have changed since I retired, but when I worked for the board it wasn't just the local supervisor that provided service, but all five supervisors and their staff.
But, there is a solution to the representation problem, incorporation or annexation to Half Moon Bay.
By incorporating as an independent city the area could have the full powers, privileges and duties of any other city in San Mateo County or the state. This idea has been studied before, but if the area was incorporated it would require a major tax increase (or a major increase of commercial businesses) just to maintain the current level of services.
Annexation to Half Moon Bay is most likely a better solution. It would create a larger base of population spreading the cost over a wider area. There would certainly be some efficacy of size.
The third choice is to leave things the way they are.
Richard Silver