Pat Orr
For the Apple Valley Review

Get the whole truth

There are going to be 20 ballot propositions for you to judge Nov. 8.

One local measure that is critical is Measure A. This Thursday, you will have a chance to get behind the signs, slogans and misleading Letters to the Editor and check out the details for yourself. You have the right and responsibility to come to the open meeting from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Apple Valley Golf Course's main room and ask all the questions you have about this fire bond extension, the Apple Valley Fire Protection District and the ramifications for our town if this fails to pass.

This will not be a debate or a bunch of speeches, it will be straight forward information sharing. Few issues are more misunderstood than how our independent Apple Valley Fire Protection District operates, is funded or even the territory they serve. We have Town Council candidates seriously suggesting we go back to volunteer bucket brigades (watch the Daily Press' video of Apple Valley's candidate forum) and many members of our community do not realize how much larger the AVFPD service area is than the town boundaries.

The town does not fund the fire district nor do they want to absorb it or pay for it.

Those who oppose Measure A because it will raise property taxes to $126 a year to support AVFPD and reopen fire stations to reduce response times, fail to mention that if the county takes over the fire service — which is the only safe thing to do if Measure A doesn’t pass — the per-resident tax will go to $156 a year with no local control or elected board.

Think it’s all smoke and mirrors? Show up Thursday and check it out before you vote.

Information liberating?

Last week Liberty Utilities held a workshop of sorts at Granite Hills High School to help people understand how they “build” the rate structure for Apple Valley customers.

Besides the Liberty employees and their frequently quoted and published supporters, there were about 40-45 ratepayers in the audience. Scheduling the meeting during the presidential debate and Monday Night Football didn’t help boost attendance at all.

Questions were submitted by the audience in writing. It went pretty well at first, then the questions and the audience got testier and the answers got well, less transparent.

When the name of Bin Laden came up as an investor in previous owner Carlyle Group, the Liberty folks were out of answers when asked the names of shareholders in the Canadian investment firm that controls Liberty now. I think it is a stretch to be overly concerned that our dollars may be flowing to countries who are trying to kill us, but there was that question hanging out there when the session ended. It may be awhile before another truly open meeting is contemplated by Liberty staff and consultants before the election, based on the mood of the crowd that left this one.

— Pat Orr is a local business owner, community volunteer and political junkie.