Vote cancer for council (December 20, 2015)
Thank you for publishing Art Bishop’s admission against interest that while his wife and kids think Apple Valley is the best place to live in the High Desert,
he’s not so certain, so he wants to develop a town we can be proud of
(Councilman Bishop to run for re-election,
Daily Press, December 20, 2015). And how does he propose to do that? Through growth.
Growth for the sake of growth may be great if you’re a cancer cell or parasite, but it’s not so great for your host. Bishop gives the impression that because the host — Apple Valley taxpayers and ratepayers — haven’t died yet, there’s no reason for the Town Council to act in a way that offers either sustainability or survival for these endangered species.
Even if Bishop and the Town Council manage to stick the ratepayers with the massive bond that will be required in the hostile takeover of Ranchos Water Company, that won’t generate any more water than we already have. Adding unsustainable growth (and unsustainable water usage) atop unsustainable debt is not just a bad idea, it’s potentially suicidal.
I look forward to reading your Q&As with other candidates. With any luck, there will be at least one person in the race who is not insane.
— Greg Raven is Co-Chair of Apple Valley Citizens for Government Accountability, and is concerned about quality of life issues.