November, 2002
I don't know about you, but I cannot wait for November 5th. Not only will I have the opportunity to vote, but the barrage of election related mail will stop. I've been getting so much of it lately, that the postman has taken to leaving bundles of it in front of my door and avoiding the overflowing mail box altogether. The fact that the former tenant at my address still receives catalogs from every novelty and cheese company in the Western Hemisphere does not help the situation. Why someone would want to know about all the different varieties of Cheddar or Swiss, I'll never understand.
This constant flow of voting information can be overwhelming. Advertisements on television and in print saying vote this way, not that way, saying something about a candidate or measure one day and retracting it the next. It is no wonder that people think that their vote won't make a difference. After all, when you go to the mailbox and all you see are colorful ads addressed to " The Resident" at such and such, you begin to think that there are enough "Residents" somewhere else to make sure that the really important issues are taken care of. Well, Guess What...there aren't.
Each person has a responsibility to take a stand on issues that impact them or those they care about and vote. The philosopher Dante even went as far as to say that "the hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in times of great moral crisis maintain their neutrality." Don't worry, this is not the part of the column where I start lecturing on religion or philosophy. The Dante quote is from a print that hangs on the wall of my office. For me, it is a daily reminder to keep going even when things are overwhelming, not to be afraid to take a stand on important issues, even when others are apathetic.
There are several issues that people with and without disabilities should care about on November 5th. The first is Proposition 46-The Housing and Emergency Shelter Trust Fund Act. Prop 46 finances $2.1 billion in affordable housing construction through a state bond. It will provide affordable housing for working people, accessibility improvements to apartments for people with disabilities and loan assistance for veterans, teachers, police and firefighters. Opponents of this measure, say that it will only increase state debt, and taxpayers will be left to repay it. Actually, Prop 46 will NOT require a tax increase, it will be paid for by existing state funds. California must have housing now, and we need Prop 46 to fund it. YES ON 46!
Next, Measure O, this measure would phase out the utility tax in Salinas over the next two years. The City would lose about $8 million a year or 13% from its general fund. The utility tax costs the average Salinas resident 34 cents a day. I went to the City of Salinas' web site to look into the measure and the sheer size of the list of services that will be eliminated or reduced if it passes took my breath away. Facilities to be closed include El Gabilan and Cesar Chavez library and several recreation centers, programs to be eliminated include volunteer services, paramedic and school crossing guards to name just a few.
What kind of a world are we living in when people would rather save 34 cents, then make sure a senior has a meal or a child gets across the street safely? I think this must be what Dante meant when he talked about a time of "great moral crisis." Remember those "residents" I mentioned earlier, well that's who they are, seniors, people with disabilities and children who need those services. They need you now. Vote No on O!
Please join me and wade through all of the information coming your way and vote on November 5th. You have a chance to make a real difference for the people in this community. I try to think of it this way, once this is all over, I'll have my mailbox back, and I can start ordering Christmas presents, like, Oh I don't know, maybe some cheese...