Blog note: The Tuolumne County Grand Jury focus on the TCEDA has received the most media attention in the state over the past year than any other grand jury report.
Now that both the 2018 and 2019 Grand Jury investigations have brought the 10-year TCEDA saga to a final conclusion, what next? What can be done now that the slate has been wiped clean but there is still a need for an advocate to help grow and maintain our local economy for the next generation of entrepreneurs and business owners?
Our county leaders’ plan is to essentially wash, rinse and recycle that same old approach that got us stuck into this economic cul-de-sac in the first place. We don’t need more government and more spending without clear measurable objectives. I recommend they not create a new economic development department for the next 12 months. Turns out it didn’t matter much the past 10 years.
The City of Sonora has a better plan. Hire an outside expert to gather input from local business owners and other stakeholders then let them decide how to implement the recommendations. No need for another permanent government employee collecting $100K-plus in salary and retirement benefits per year.
Next, let’s elect new supervisors in 2020 who will make sound economic development decisions that would include reducing governmental spending, executive hiring and costly regulations and fees. We need supervisors who will conduct quantifiable Return- on-Investment (ROI) analysis vs. the good-old-boy “subjective analysis” as highlighted by Supervisor Gray’s response to the Grand Jury report.
Lastly, more governmental transparency is still needed. The Grand Jury has noted that this has not been totally settled. They looked at the TCEDA’s nonprofit arm, the Economic Prosperity Council of Tuolumne County, and determined “the public should be able to see the findings from a review of potential conflicts of interest that was conducted by the County Counsel’s Office.” The results are considered attorney-client privilege. Sounds very similar to their response to my Public Records Act lawsuit which initially discovered the government’s lack of transparency. According to the report “the public has a right to evaluate whether any conflicts existed.” It is unfortunate that the jury will not pursue the matter due to the potential legal costs to taxpayers. Maybe this needs fresh new eyes from a higher authority.
The bottom line is that whatever changes are made in the coming months by our leaders, they will have to regain trust from the public. A good start would be new leadership. What happens next is up to us. Follow the news — information is power — shop locally, get involved and vote.
May 22, 2019
The Union Democrat
From Ken Perkins, Sonora
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