Inga Barks: Market should steer development
| Friday, Aug 14 2009 05:57 PM
Last Updated Friday, Aug 14 2009 05:59 PM
As I read a recent column by Lois Henry about a lawsuit filed by the Home Builders Association of Kern County against the city and county, I was struck by something that Lois said. She said we hire government to tell businesses (in this case builders) "where, when and how much it should cost."
Is that really what we want government to do on our behalf? Shouldn't the market dictate when a project is needed, where people want to live and how much they are willing to pay? What IS the role of government? To tell us when, where and how much life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness should cost? Or to guarantee us protection and infrastructure that make it possible for those pursuits?
I don't begrudge Lois her opinion at all. But the stark difference between those of us who believe that government's role is to hover over us and those of us who want limited government that knows its boundaries, is clear. As I reflected on that, I had a vision...
Join me on a hypothetical trip back in time, to the day when Col. Baker first stood on a ridge overlooking the great Central Valley. (For you kids out there, unless the tour guide on my 3rd grade field trip to Pioneer Village was lying, the name "Bakersfield" comes from a man named Baker who had a field. And for you grown ups, you may know "Pioneer Village" as the "Kern County Museum").
Anyway, back to Col. Baker standing there, surveying the valley. Maybe he turned to his wife and said, "Darlin', I'm gonna build us a house over yonder. And over that way we'll have a farm. We'll hire workers, pay them well and make a good living for ourselves. Maybe a little community of hard working Americans with a dream will sprout up and together we can build a future for our children and grandchildren."
Nice, huh? Can you almost hear the National Anthem playing and Old Glory flapping in the breeze?
Now picture Mrs. Baker in her best Little House on the Prairie dress. What if she answered with this: "Honey, you're a visionary. A true pioneer. Now, I've done some research and all we have to do is turn in the application and fee. I have them in the covered wagon.
"After that we have to appeal to some committees and boards and wait for the environmental impact report. This could take a few years but that gives us time to save up for the traffic impact fees, the park fee, the sewer connection fee, the plan maintenance fee, the plan check fee, the inspection fee, the reapportionment fee, the habitat conservation plan fee, the land mitigation fee, the seismic fee, and the flood plain fee...and then there are the regulations."
Had Col. Baker been faced with what modern day Kern County homeowners, small businesses and dreamers are faced with...I bet we wouldn't be called "Bakersfield." "Dust Bowl" has a ring to it, but that's taken.
Inga Barks, who hosts a talk show on AM 1180 KERN, is one of four conservative community columnists whose work appears here every Saturday. These are the opinions of Barks, not necessarily The Californian's. You can e-mail her at ibarks@ bakersfield.com. Next week: Ric Llewellyn.
