Run a business before running for office

We have felt for some time that in order to run for office a politician should have run a business and met a payroll. It will

eliminate three quarters of those presently in office. It would also eliminate the inability to balance a budget.

Watching politics on T.V. it would seem that the battle is very simple. The Democrats want more taxes and the Republicans want no more taxes.

They both want more money and they both want to balance the budget. Why not use
the resources they have?

Driving down the state’s freeways made it apparent the state could go a long way
in solving its budget situation just by using the surplus land it has available
to it.

Let’s take I-5, for instance.

The freeway is a beautiful piece of work, but few motorists and truckers use it compared with U.S. 99. The reason is clear; there are little or no services for miles.

Why aren’t there services? The state owns the land at each intersection and offramp. These are largely undeveloped.

Wouldn’t it make sense if you or I owned this land to sell it or at least rent it to businesses which can use access to the freeway traffic?

At every interchange there are at least two lots and sometimes four which would
make ideal service station locations or locations for fast food restaurants.

Have these location been offered to business? If so, is the price reasonable? Remember there are rarely utilities connected to these islands.

Even considering that disadvantage there are lots of small businesses which would pay money to locate in these freeway islands.

The availability of gas, food and services would bring more traffic to I-5 and relieve some of the heavy traffic on US. 99; which is what I-5 was meant to do in the first place. This just makes common sense to the businessman (woman).

However to a politician sitting in Sacramento, wringing his or her hands because of lack of money in the budget, there is a blind side.

This surplus land in California is just a tip of the iceberg. There are millions of dollars worth of land which is not being used and not on the tax roles.

Another political blind side is the closing of state parks. Why not allow private enterprise run the state’s parks instead of closing them?

There are several that are closed in our county. If the state allowed private individuals to run these for profit, the parks would be open today and taxes and
perhaps rents would come into state coffers.

Our problem in this state is not lack of money; it is lack of money management.

Let’s see if we can elect some politicians who don’t have a blind side to good
business practices.

Footnote On The Motorhome

We have received too many questions about what happened to Kathy’s Hylton the
motorhome which was left in Redding with a broken down transmission.

Yes, we had it repaired and yes we went up to Redding the following week and
picked the Hylton up.

The cost of having it repaired would have paid for staying at the real Hilton
with room service.

In addition we could have taken our vacation in a chauffeur driven limousine and
saved money.

Now Kathy’s Hylton is sitting beside our house in Merced waiting to be used as
an extra bedroom when company come to visit next month.

At least we don’t have to worry about it breaking down.