Paul Perkovic writes:
Dear Friend of the Midcoast,
LAFCo is considering updates to Coastside “Spheres of Influence”, which are important in defining the future governmental structure of our communities.
The future of parks and recreation in the Midcoast, as well as our special districts, is in the balance.
The Midcoast Community Council will host a presentation by Martha Poyatos, Executive Officer of San Mateo County Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCo) on Wednesday, September 24 beginning about 8:30 p.m. (following the Candidates Forum for Cabrillo Unified School District candidates) at Seton Medical Center Coastside. Martha will explain the draft Preliminary Sphere of Influence Update Report for Half Moon Bay and Unincorporated Midcoast. You can read the entire LAFCo Report athttp://www.sanmateolafco.org/vgn/images/portal/cit_609/0/39/1321061880soicoastreportaug18.pdfso the discussion in the draft letter makes sense.
Until this point, the Midcoast has had a “zero” sphere of influence — in bureaucratic-speak, that means our local special districts should all go away — and Half Moon Bay has had a sphere of influence that covers the entire coastside — i.e., eventually the plan is to have one enormous coastside city to provide all services.
Martha’s Staff Report recommends reducing Half Moon Bay’s sphere to its existing city limits and giving a sphere of influence to Coastside County Water District, Granada Sanitary District, and Montara Water and Sanitary District reflecting their respective service areas. This recommendation allows for existing special districts to reorganize to furnish park and recreation services, or for formation of a new district for park and recreation, if the citizens on the Midcoast want to go in that direction.
The future of parks and recreation in the Midcoast, as well as our special districts, is in the balance.
If you wish to review the draft letter that will be considered by the MCC on Wednesday, September 24, it is available on the MCC website. The one-page Executive Summary of the proposed MCC letter is available at http://mcc.sanmateo.org/agendadoc/MCC-2008-09-24-LAFCo-SoI_comments-executive_summary.pdf while a more detailed letter with historical background is athttp://mcc.sanmateo.org/agendadoc/MCC-2008-09-24-LAFCo-SoI_comments.pdf
If you can attend the meeting, it would be great to hear your comments (support, opposition, revisions) in person. If you cannot attend, perhaps you can forward your comments to me and I can pass them along to the current MCC members. You can also communicate your thoughts directly to LAFCo at the address given in the draft letter. Responses are due no later than October 1, 2008.
Of course, you are welcome to attend the Candidate Forum for Cabrillo Unified School District candidates, too. Charlie Gardner and John Moseley are incumbents seeking re-election, while Ken Johnson is their challenger. MCTV will broadcast the Candidate Forum several times prior to Election Day, as it has in the past when the MCC has held these informative local community forums.
Thank you for taking the time to help the Midcoast community on this matter.
Paul Perkovic, former MCC member
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Message from Paul & Eric
Dear Friends,
I do not usually ask for your vote, except when I am running for local office myself.
However, my partner of 32 years and I are facing the possibility that California voters will overturn the California Supreme Court’s recognition of marriage equality for all, without discrimination based on gender. We were first married on Valentine’s Day 2004, in San Francisco, but that marriage was later nullified. After the Supreme Court’s decision this past June, we were again among the first group of California couples to celebrate our lives together and get married officially.
Proposition 8 threatens to undo the progress our society has made towards equal treatment for everyone.
Please join me in voting NO on Proposition 8.
Eric and I have been working with the NO on Prop 8 campaign, so we have buttons, yard signs, and other material available if you would like to show your opposition to Proposition 8 to your neighbors, and possibly influence what appears to be a very close election battle. Just call me – 415-370-3897 – and I can drop off material for your use.
Remember, EVERY VOTE IS IMPORTANT, even if your choice for President appears to be winning based on early East Coast returns. There are many California state measures and local races that need your vote, too.
Thanks for your support!
Paul and Eric