Plea to the retired

This article was published on 07.29.04

Gary Robinson is a Butte County employee and 20-year citizen of Chico

There was a time when only successfully retired civilians would be elected to office. I would like to know: Where are the Butte-county-born retired civilians?

I believe that the current leadership in our boards, councils and municipalities are sincere about serving their community, so please understand that the intent of this article is not to question the content of character, but rather to encourage discussions regarding current issues involving Butte County residents.

Would you agree or disagree that councils, boards and other political entities throughout Butte County are divided and base most of their decisions on principle instead of the particular issue in question? Would retired civilians be more objective?

I am struggling between honoring property-rights principles against certain land issues. I am having trouble with the idea of pouring concrete on topsoil. Does our community object to concrete being poured over topsoil? Has the Greenline been invalidated? If so, why can’t the people of Butte County vote on its validation or invalidation?

Does the sale of groundwater transfers concern you? When the Enterprise-Record reported that the large pipes being deployed throughout Butte County were for the purpose of transferring water to protect the Delta and its estuary, did you question the content of the article?

Did you know a San Francisco firm is developing 22,000 parcels on prime agriculture land in Yuba County? If the farmland in Butte County is developed into residential lots, and if groundwater is committed to sale and transfer, do we as residents abandon undefined wealth to become tenants to our own resources? Does the transfer of water from people who do not refer to Butte County as home concern you? Do you know the history of riparian water rights?

Who knows why we act or don’t act? I am appealing to your heart and mind to consider these questions:

· Considering political gridlock, can any change occur?

· Can the retired people help?

· Are we going to concrete over topsoil?

· How is groundwater being transferred?

· What are riparian water rights?

· Where is the historically informed responsible leadership?

· Will the retired Butte County-born give us direction and run for office?