The times they are a changing

By Jim Nielsen

Wednesday, March 16, 2005 - Public policy in Yolo County has historically evolved through problem

solving, with deliberation, cooperation and in an open, collaborative manner. All of a sudden everything

has changed. We are doing business New York style; in your face, up front and personal with sue and

sue alike legal machinations trumping civility and "my way or the highway" replacing cooperation.

Yolo County has initiated eminent domain proceedings to take over the privately-owned Conaway

Ranch. The Conaway seizure is cloaked in a legal veil of secrecy with primary stakeholders and the

public in the dark and with no opportunity for citizen input.

Simultaneously the county announced a Park and Open Space Master Plan that has landowners fearful

they will become the next eminent domain victims. Access over private lands is a primary component of

this Master Plan. Based on the Conaway precedent, landowners have little comfort that they will be

respected as willing sellers. This Master plan also contemplates using Conaway property for park, open

space, "constructed nature" land, various "public uses" and could feature agricultural practices.

It is clear from review of Conaway and Open Space documents, most of which were obtained only after

public records demands, that county leaders have decided that agriculture will not have the importance

it has always deserved. It is clear the county is now driven by a quest for money. This is not only

obvious when one seriously contemplates the county's unstated motives (read between the lines in the

county documents) for seizing the Conaway Ranch.

Last week the county incredibly sued the city of Woodland to obtain a greater share of the Gateway

Project than it is entitled to under an 1986 agreement between the county and the cities of Yolo

County. Woodland Mayor Matt Rexroad called it right in response to the county lawsuit, "Pound sand!" I

was so enthused at Rexroad's candor and so disgusted at the pervasive new directions of Yolo County

supervisors I encouraged him to run for supervisor. The county's closed door policies and penchant for

lawsuits disposed another long-time local leader Dudley Holman to observe, "It seems the county has

such an abundance of friends it wants to make as many enemies as it can."

The money-hungry county was at it again as of last Friday indicating it wants to revisit the 1986 county/

cities agreements in order to get a bigger share of the city of Davis Covell Village Project. Yolo Board

Chair Helen Thomson acknowledged in the Davis Enterprise that taxes and tax sources have changed

since the 1986 agreement and the cash-strapped county would like to revisit the terms. Call it county

leveraging and it's clear the suit against Woodland is an overt threat to the city of Davis Ð sue you

next. West Sacramento and Winters, line up your attorneys.

In another similar development Assemblywoman Lois Wolk, normally a responsive legislator, has

chosen a "take it or leave it approach" in her introduction to designate a part (really effectively all) of

Cache Creek "Wild and Scenic." Many Yolo County citizens and Assemblyman Doug LaMalfa, who

actually represents Cache Creek, oppose this approach, preferring the alternative suggestion proposed

by the Yolo County Flood Control and Water Conservation District. It appears the legislator is refusing to

negotiate, giving no recourse to concerned citizens and colleagues but to oppose this bill. Legislative

committees usually seek to avoid such local divisiveness preferring to hold up on such legislation until

the local folks can work things out. Hopefully this will be the fate of the Wild and Scenic bill.

I have commented with angst in the past when insider, cut-throat politics have crept into local city and

school board elections. This is just not the way we do business in Yolo County. The County of Yolo now

seems infected with "gold fever" and finds comfort in bed with trial attorney-style business practices Ð

kind of a new county version of slap suits. We sue you and you settle on our terms.

If the county is strapped for money they can be up front, either become more efficient, cut services (of

course service receivers would complain) or raise taxes. The strong arm, closed and back door

approaches just aren't the Yolo way.

Over the years I have been more sympathetic to the plight of counties than cities. The state/federal

mandate burdens are more pressing on counties and counties have less revenue-generating latitude.

Today, I am with the cities as Yolo County extends its new-found heavy-handedness from private

landowners to their local government peers. Local property owners deserve more than extortion tactics

and taxpayers deserve to know the spending the county is obliging them to fund.

We need a dose of tort reform right here in Yolo County.

- Jim Nielsen is a former state senator who writes for The Daily Democrat.