County open to suggestions on five-year plan

Dates and locations have been set for a series of upcoming meetings where citizens will have a chance to provide input on how they would like to see Tuolumne County government run over the next five years.

The input — for a five-year strategic plan, to be finalized this year — is particularly important, according to County Administrator Craig Pedro, as the next few years are sure to be a challenge for local governments.

Echoing popular economists, Pedro says even when the local economy recovers, it will be through slow, steady growth. In other words, don’t expect a boom — like the 2002-07 home-building spree — to rapidly fill governmental coffers.

The special meetings on the five-year plan will be held on consecutive Tuesdays, starting at 6:30 p.m., in all of the county’s five supervisorial districts. The dates and locations are as follows:
    • Jan. 26: Willow Springs Club House, 20522 Willow Springs Drive, Soulsbyville (District 2).
    • Feb. 2: Board of Supervisors chambers, 2 S. Green St., Sonora (District 1).
    • Feb. 9: Telele Lodge (formerly Black Oak School), 18995 Twain Harte Drive, Twain Harte (District 3).
    • Feb. 16: Groveland Community Hall, 18720 Highway 120, Groveland (District 4).
    • Feb. 23: Church of the 49ers, 11155 Jackson St., Columbia (District 5).

In addition to the meetings, the county is also seeking input though a survey, which can be accessed at www.tuolumnecounty.ca.gov. The survey will be available online from Jan. 26 to Feb. 23.

The information gathered from the upcoming meetings and surveys will, in part, help determine what governmental programs the county will cut should the economy worsen. Pedro oversaw big budget transitions last year — the county was forced to cut $8.5 million out of this year’s budget — and he wants to be prepared for likely inevitable cuts in future years.

But, at its core, the information will simply be used to help county officials outline what they should accomplish over the next five years, Pedro said.

“We’re just trying to identify the most important things that county government should be doing over the next five years — it’s really that fundamental,” Pedro said. “If people want to have some voice over what they want their county government to be doing, this is the perfect opportunity.

Both Pedro and supervisors noted earlier this month that though the public input is valuable, there are certain services that automatically have priority over others — such as policing and emergency services — regardless of what the public desires.

Furthermore, Pedro said that though public input is encouraged to help develop the five-year plan, people must realize that there are some things the county is mandated by the state to operate — including some social service programs — and the state provides the majority of funding for such programs.

What about using taxes to spare programs from cuts?

Pedro said the county has an option of pursuing sales tax increases, but neither supervisors nor their constituents seem to be leaning in that direction. Furthermore, he is not recommending such measures. The county, though, is considering putting an increase in the local hotel tax on the ballot.

“The big thing we’re hearing is: ‘Government, live within your means,’ ” Pedro said.

The development of a five-year plan has been on the county’s radar for more than a year, but supervisors didn’t get around to it in 2009 due to pressing issues brought on by the down economy and state budget cuts, Pedro said.