As most of you know, Ventura County is currently in the process of updating its General Plan for the first time in over 30 years. This multi-year process is in the latter phases, with a Draft General Plan recently approved by the Board of Supervisors. This document will then move on to an Environmental Impact Analysis before returning to the Board for a final vote. During previous discussions at the Board, there was general consensus about the importance and need for an economic analysis to be conducted as part of this process. Unfortunately, the majority of the board fell well short of following through on this important component.
The General Plan Update includes hundreds of new policies and programs that will have far-reaching impacts on virtually every aspect of our local economy, as well as future tax revenues which flow into our County’s budget. This is in large part, due to the fact that the language used within these policies and programs mandate that the county take action. These costs will come in several forms. First, additional county tax dollars and resources will be required for implementation. Moreover, there are major ramifications for our local businesses and industry which will directly impact jobs and our local economy…which, according to Cal Lutheran University’s Center for Economic Research and Forecasting (CERF), is one of the lowest performing in the state.
At our Board of Supervisors meeting on September 10, I made a motion to include a thorough economic analysis of the General Plan Update so the public could be aware of the impact these new policies and programs will have on the economic well-being of tens of thousands of local families. While Supervisor Bob Huber seconded and supported my motion, it was ultimately defeated on a 3-2 vote. This is unacceptable.
As an elected official, I take very seriously both transparency and being a good steward of taxpayer dollars. It is virtually impossible to do this if we refuse to study and understand how our County will be affected by such consequential decisions. The public deserves the right to know and to be offered a chance to engage in the conversation before the General Plan is finalized.
Republished from Supervisor Kelly Long‘s Newsletter
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Ventura County has not reached its potential. By far. We need to look into the future and plan accordingly. We can be that county that makes it possible for our children to buy a home, raise their families here and strengthen our communities, or we can dry up. The General plan dictates which way we go.
“ if you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there”.
Kelly…..we just need to know who the two were in order to talk to the three.