Home > Resource Center > In the News Home > Greenbelt Alliance in the News

Greenbelt Alliance In the News

June 5 , 2008

Group opposes San Martin incorporation

A new group has loosely formed to oppose the efforts to incorporate the town of San Martin, giving a new vantage point to the proposal that has been supported by the San Martin Neighborhood Association for years.

Members of the group Concerned Citizens Opposing Incorporation were present at Wednesday's Local Agency Formation Commission meeting where they brought up concerns about what they say are erroneous revenue projections and potential environmental impacts with the incorporation of San Martin.

Five years after the Comprehensive Fiscal Analysis was released in 2003, the CCOI claims to have discovered the document that SMNA neglected to show to the citizens of San Martin.

"The majority of people haven't seen it," said Larry Warren, a resident of San Martin who opposes incorporation. "It's never been publicized to the people."

But members of the SMNA said the document has been made public since 2003 and that public meetings have been held monthly for the past eight years to discuss it.

The main arguments posed by CCOI concern the feasibility of turning San Martin into a town when the economy is in recession and the probability that the incorporation will increase taxes of San Martin residents to cover its costs.

"Residents must be REALISTIC," stated the CCOI brochure. "If they wish to incorporate, they must be willing to tax themselves."

CCOI member Margaret Wolford said she's against incorporation because she doesn't believe there is a sufficient tax base.

"Sounds like we'd be bankrupt before we start," she said. "I would like more local control but I'm realistic enough to know it's not economically feasible. "They're not using data that reflects the present economic situation and the escalating cost in oil products," said Warren.

According to Rich Van't Root, a member of the SMNA, however, the residents of San Martin will not see any increase in taxes.

"(The money) will come out of the same taxes we're paying now. We oppose any tax increase associated with the incorporation."

Gilroy Mayor Al Pinheiro, who was present at the meeting, demonstrated support yet advised that San Martin be aware of the costs necessary to run an incorporated town.

"It'd be nice to have a local government to work with," said Pinheiro. "If they incorporate they'll have locals making local decisions. But all cities are having problems making ends meet so as a new city they have to be very careful with their projections and make sure they compare costs with cities around them."

They would also have to have buffers separating San Martin from its neighboring towns which as discussed in the meeting, were absent in an environmental review of the area.

"What kind of message is this sending to Gilroy and Hollister?" said Michele Beasley, field representative of the Greenbelt Alliance. Beasley also expressed concern for the agricultural lands which could become developed due to the increasing number of people living in the Bay area. "The Greenbelt Alliance remains concerned about the incorporation. I'm not convinced the city can survive without growing," she said.

The final item on the agenda was an update on the schedule for the proposed incorporation. Since the scheduling depended on the decisions to be made by the next meeting, a schedule was not determined.

LAFCO then determined the proposed town's limits at Masten Avenue to the south and Maple Avenue to the north and after discussion from commissioners, the board approved a motion that states there are no foreseeable environmental impacts as a result of the incorporation.

###