The Business Alliance has discovered two key reasons that groups like the Sierra Club, rafters and the activist organization “ Sierra Nevada Alliance” don’t like the EDC 2004 General Plan. For local rafters and campground owners it may be as simple as the NIMBY syndrome: They like all the growth and housing to occur in El Dorado Hills so they aren’t impacted by people using their own private property for homes, businesses or agriculture in rural parts of the county (making this land easier for them to purchase or control).

Those opposed to Measure B, which asks voters to ratify
the 2004 General Plan as adopted by a 4-1 vote of EDC Supervisors,
have repeatedly indicated that the large and diverse
groups that are on record supporting Measure B are either
ignorant or guilty of “fraud”. Such rhetoric is insulting at
best, as many of the supporting individuals and groups have
taken the time to study the issues and to memorialize the
reasons for their actions. EDC Sheriff Jeff Neves tells of his
efforts to hire new deputies and the problems they encounter

On March 8th voters will cast their ballots to support or oppose an ongoing parcel tax to support local libraries (on the ballot they are either “F”, “G” or “H”). The annual cost per parcel has been $15 for South Lake Tahoe and $12 for Georgetown, Placerville and Pollock Pines. The current ballot measure seeks to equalize the parcel taxes to $15 annually to fund new books and materials, support children’s programs that promote reading and basically help to keep library doors open. If passed the measure(s) will extend the existing tax at a $15 per parcel rate for 10 more years.

Emails from BA members have been circulating with recommendations to read Michael Crichton’s book State of Fear. If you have read this book you’ll understand our hesitancy to report on the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol, which is aimed at reining in industrial emissions of carbon dioxide and other “greenhouse gases” in an attempt to control climate change (global warming). The Kyoto Treaty was a global pact negotiated in 1997 in Kyoto, Japan. A major factor in implementing the treaty lies in the United States’ agreement to participate, which it has not given.