Monterey general plan denied ballot spot

The Packer Editorial Board
Posted March 2, 2006

By Darcy DeVictor

In what may be a temporary victory for Salinas Valley produce companies, the Monterey County board of supervisors voted down a general plan initiative Feb. 28.

The board cited legal flaws as a reason not to place it on the county’s June 6 ballot.

The 3-2 decision came as a surprise to Bob Perkins, executive director of Salinas-based Monterey County Farm Bureau.

Many in the produce industry feared the initiative would make it to a public vote on the June ballot, requiring more funds for an opposition campaign.

Perkins is a director for Plan for the People, a group developed to oppose the initiative.

But the board’s dismissal of the general plan initiative doesn’t necessarily kill it, Perkins said. He expects LandWatch Monterey County will sue the county to get the measure on the ballot.

And he’s right.

Official legal action will be taken soon, said Chris Fitz, executive director of LandWatch.

Fitz said the board of supervisors had two choices: to enact the initiative into law or to put it on the ballot; and they acted outside of the law by dismissing it.