From Lawrence Samuels:
Why Oppose a City in Carmel Valley?
To Keep Carmel Valley Rural!
IF WE BECOME A CITY – HIGHER TAXES: Someone would have to pay for a new City infrastructure – eventual construction of a City Hall, police station, public works, civic center, etc.
MORE DEVELOPMENT: The new City would be dependent on tourism and other revenue sources, and would eventually need to entice large businesses to settle in Carmel Valley in order to pay for the City’s upkeep. This means the construction of large resort hotels and more traffic. Perhaps this is why developer Tom Gray has given thousands to the incorporation proponents.
LOW-INCOME HOUSING: Under state law, most cities are required to build low-income housing in expensive areas. The formula has been as high as 15% of current housing units to accommodate low-income housing, which could mean building 300 to 400 inclusionary housing units in Carmel Valley.
MORE GOVERNMENT HASSLES: A City would demand more permits, inspections, approvals, nightmarish red tape, paperwork, etc., which many people have already experienced in Carmel-by-the-Sea.
EXPENSIVE NEW SEWER SYSTEM: Currently, most Carmel Valley residents have septic tanks, except at the mouth of the valley. A new City would be pressured to follow new federal and state environmental laws to improve underground water quality. The cost to hook up to a new sewer system have been as high as $25,000 per homeowner in other areas of California.
SKYROCKETING ROAD COSTS: Under a City, roads will have to be improved. With 68 miles of roads (144 lane-miles); $40 million to $60 million of road reconstruction; $3 million to replace the failed road system every year (only $327,000 is budgeted for minimal road maintenance by city proponents); 35 to 40 miles of roads that don't meet current development standards (re-engineering these roads, according to county officials, would cost $100 million to $150 million).
CITY DEBT: The City would likely be forced to float large bonds in order to pay the additional costs which would be added to our property tax bills. And if citizens resist, the political establishment at City Hall will simply argue that they will close down services if taxes are not raised.
POLITICAL INFIGHTING: Politics will poison the community with electioneering, charges of corruption, outsider vs. insider conflicts, special interests trying to influence the mayor and city councilmembers, and general politicking. Battles of influence between CV village and the mouth of the valley could be very divisive.
HIGH-PAID STAFF: A highly paid staff of City workers, City manager, City Attorney, etc. would follow. Further, most Cities have generous retirement packages of up to 90% of the City employee’s salary with inflation adjustments. In the city of Seaside alone, over 40 government officials get over $100,000 per year.
INCREASED BUSINESS TAXES: With a City, there would be more taxes on local businesses – possible business license tax, utility taxes, etc. to support a new layer of government.
PROPERTY TAXES/BOND REDEMPTION: Despite Prop. 13 protections, City governments must employ “Bond Redemptions” and “Bond Interest” for “capital improvements” making property tax bills go up substantially.
COST OF WILD FIRES: The State of California funds the CDF to fight wild fires in unincorporated areas. If incorporated, the cost of fighting the fire is shifted to the City.
REDEVELOPMENT AGENCIES: Every city in Monterey County has a redevelopment agency with the power to seize private land and give it to private developers at the expense of taxpayers. With eminent domain powers, a City can take anybody’s property.
LITTLE LOCAL CONTROL: Somewhere between 50 to 60 percent of most city budgets are controlled by federal and state mandates and law. In reality, cities have lost most of their local control.
