Letter: Bad business (July 9, 2015)

It is not personal, just business. This is a line that has been repeated by Barb Stanton in connection with the Town Council’s controversial plans to take over Apple Valley Ranchos Water Company. At first, it seemed like an attempt to appease the growing chorus of opposition as the Town Council continues to drive ahead with its plans to expand government.

First came an expensive taxpayer-funded PR campaign of newspaper ads, letters to the editor, mailers, newsletters, websites and now radio ads. It’s a PR campaign rife with misrepresentations, scare tactics and promises of an idyllic operation that will be run by the government and unfounded claims that it will cost less.

Now Town government is bullying the citizens in public forums and chastising them for challenging questioning the use of taxpayer money while a whisper campaign is played against some other businesses associated with Ranchos.

Straight-faced claims of operating transparently are repeated as the Town budget obscures the millions of dollars spent for legal expenses that will be needed to wage a long takeover battle with Ranchos. The Chamber of Commerce, which has been neutral to the Town’s takeover plans, had their $20,000 annual contract ended by the Town.

While the Town Council’s controversial hostile takeover attempt of Ranchos may not be personal, it is not just business. It is bad business and is also creating bad behaviors at Town Hall.

Kevin Phillips, Manager of Safety Services, Apple Valley Ranchos Water

— Source: Daily Press