Some Thoughts on the Defeat of Measure T

It is a good day in Watsonville today, and I am proud to be here.

I’m looking back on all of the great discussion leading up to the vote on Measure T, which lost by a landslide (even though Daniel Dodge does not believe that 77% is a mandate).  The active voters of Watsonville are fed up, and through their votes have spoken that they are not going to take any more BS from this dysfunctional political machine and all of its puppets who have put this city into its present financial dire straits. We have had it with the ongoing financial mismanagement, as well as the cronyism and racially-divisive politics that have infested our city politics. One thing I hope this Measure T campaign has taught its backers is that lying and creating division will not move our city in a positive direction.  

I hope the defeat of Measure T has also taught the voters something, at least the 25% of them that voted. This dysfunctional “political machine” that I refer to counts on voter apathy to enable them to prey on us by forcing their agenda through, right under our noses, without any consideration for what is fair or ethical. This time, through our votes, enough of us  stood up and said we are not going to take this any more; now  I imagine this political machine is starting to worry that they are losing their brass.  

So what next? First, we need to encourage our friends, families and neighbors to overcome their apathy and exercise their right to voice an opinion. Those of us who have fire in our bellies and intelligent ideas about what would make Watsonville a better place need to keep the fire burning and not let ourselves slip back into apathy. We also need to keep exposing the current political machine and all of the corruption for what it is, blowing the whistle on them and holding their feet to the fire. If nothing else, I encourage all of us to keep writing and speaking our minds in our local newspapers and other media. Daniel Dodge and the rest of the dysfunctional political machine may try to belittle you by calling you an “armchair quarterback”, but keep in mind we can be proud that our letters and comments had a profound effect on the outcome of the Measure T election.  

I also encourage any and all of you to start attending City Council meetings, making your faces visible and your voices heard. This city has demonstrated over and over that it does not require much ability or much of an economy of personal resources to serve on a commission, the city council or even as the mayor. We need to change that, and those of us who are intelligent and have good ideas should consider serving on commissions or running for city council. But of course, that would involve sitting city council members being willing to give folks, other than their own friends and cronies, a chance to have a voice in the city.  

Just some thoughts.