It’s the silly season in Salida.
Lines in the sand are being drawn, ammunition is being stockpiled and talking points are being honed.
We have three council seats as well as mayor’s seat up for grabs this November in Salida, and the philosophies of the candidates couldn’t be more stark.
On one side we have a group declaring “It’s time for us to take Salida back!” Which begs the question: back to when? The 1980s and early 90s? When half the businesses downtown were boarded up? Or the 1970s, where for sale signs stood in front of a quarter of the homes in town and a house could be had for five figures? (Actually, that one doesn’t sound so bad.)
No, the “take back” crowd seems to believe there is a vast conspiracy on the part of the current council and mayor, along with city employees and progressive members of the community, to drive up the debt to a point where only rich retirees and trust-fund types can live here. To hell with all those non bike riders who don’t give a hoot for riverwalks or capital improvements. They can all move elsewhere, where municipalities never go into debt and the streets are always free of potholes. Where taxes stay the same and the city water is as fresh and pure as a bottle of Nestlé Pure Life.
As a response to the take-back types, another group has formed, with the goal of “Moving Salida Forward.” A clever tagline, given the unfortunate wording of the first campaign. This group wants to recognize the efforts of the current city council and encourage the forward direction they believe the city is going.
In between these two disparate groups seems to be a large portion of the population which just wants us all to get along. Polarizing politics can lead to stalemate and enmity, which may or may not be good, according to your perspective. Some would like to see Salida move “sideways,” which to me seems reasonable. We are in a pretty good place right now as I see it. Yes, we do have a city government that should probably not be in the event, theater or aquatic center business, nor involved in real estate speculation, but many of the recent improvements make this city a better place to live for all of us, not just the elite few. I am also of the view that, in order to qualify for a job with the city, one must prove one’s ability to make a living here in the private sector, so as not to lose sight of the basic economic realities of most of the citizens.
Also, I’m really not for city-sponsored schemes to increase capital, but I do believe the city needs to be proactive in predicting the future needs of its citizens. – By Mike Rosso
