FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS

Last week a very important report was delivered to the Board of
Supervisors. The State of California paid, through a block grant,
for a Economic Development Planning study which is designed to give
Mariposa County a Strategy for the both the immediate and long term
future. Taking into consideration the consultants conversations with
many citizens and a thorough review of the one year old recently
adopted Mariposa County General Plan, the conclusions of the report
are that if Mariposa County is to continue to meet its financial
obligations in many areas and the private sector is going to continue
to survive and thrive, then we must continue the development of our
number one industry, Tourism.
 
Even though I have spent much of my life in business in Mariposa
County and, from the early l960's, been involved in both the private
and public sector regarding economic health and development, I could
never put a number to the value of the visitors to our county. I
have great respect for the concepts of the General Plan and take a
parenting pride in its creation. I participated to some degree in
the first General Plan and, as a member of the Planning Commission,
helped verify the principals and share authorship of the current plan.
Certainly many others had a part in the construction of the plan but
it must be clearly understood that the principals upon which our
General Plan is constructed were adopted at a time when most of the
current BOS members were small children. My father and brother were
instrumental in the decisions which have, rightly or wrongly, brought
us to this point. While a member of the BOS I worked with others on
the crafting of Title 17, the zoning ordinance.

The one fundamental principal which is pervasive throughout our
planning documents is that Mariposa County does not have control over
more than half of the resources therein contained and the lack of a
singular capital creating activity makes us be cautious about certain
classes of development. Individuals have made a great deal of money
from land development in Mariposa County but most of the gains made
have escaped the county and are seldom reinvested here. The history
of our county is rife with natural resource development such as
mining, timber, a railroad and agriculture but none of those
activities were sustained. In fact it could be said that none of
those activities generated sufficient capital to continue development
or that the resource that was being developed was depleted.
Another example of short lived resource development is the limestone
deposit in the Merced River Canyon that produced the Yosemite Cement
products of the l930's. The presence of the railroad made it
possible to send the ore to Merced County for processing. When the
deposit proved to be a competition to industrialist Henry J. Kaiser
and his cheap deposits in Peru, he bought the plant and shut it down.
Even the lumber shipped from the forests of Yosemite, arrived for
processing at the Mill in Merced Falls, just outside Mariposa County.

The one stable and slow growing asset that has served Mariposa
County since WWII has been Tourism. Yosemite National Park is worth
more than $400 million dollars to the four counties that surround it.
Of that total Mariposa County benefits more than half of that amount.
Last fiscal year Mariposa County government received almost $9.3
million in Bed Tax, and at 10%, that sum represents $93 million in
sales of sleeping accommodations. That does not account for sales of
other goods and services which it is estimated is more than
double the TOT (Bed Tax).
All of that money goes to Mariposa County which
wisely reinvests approximately 6% in tourism development through the
activities of the Tourism Bureau and Chamber of Commerce. Still a
small sum for the results, for normally private business invests in
excess of 10% in business development. The main benefit to the
county is that the balance of approximately 94% of the revenue can be
spent by the BOS in any way it sees fit.

The Economic Development Strategy clearly defines the goal of
further making all of Mariposa County a destination for recreation,
regardless if it is in or outside Yosemite National Park. The second
goal of the report is to develop other business/employment
opportunities outside the park based of the presence of the Merced
University of California. Beyond that the reports mentions a
Heritage element and arts and entertainment.
What does the possible development related to the University mean to
the county? Two things. Residential and industrial. Both which use
land, roads, water, governmental services. These are traditional
economic development effects and, in the minds of some, very
challenging to the quality of life in our county. There is confusion
as to the value of any development but many pre-established decisions
and standards cause us to seek resources to meet various obligations.

Let's look at physical growth. Increase in population brings many
challenges that tourism does not. For example, because Mariposa
County, by past decisions, has restricted itself to keeping only 25%
of the property tax thus gained, any future development has to bring
with it all of the services that are needed by a modern civilization.
When I grew up in Mariposa County, few of the current services were
available. Even Social Welfare was a county task, being called
Indigent Services, and each week the single Welfare Director would
have to review all applications for grants with the Board of
Supervisors. There were no fire departments, a one man health
department, two men in the Sheriff Department, and all departments of
the county and schools resided in one building, with the exception of
the Welfare, which occupied a small space behind my father's Drug
Store. I recall my father filling one of Dr. Webster's two
prescriptions a day, not knowing if the county charge would be paid.
Often it wasn't.

Roads in Mariposa County were under the direction of individual
Supervisors acting as Road Commissions. Many were still dirt with
some being oiled, not paved. By the way many of those early oiled
roads are still in service. The Road Commissioners would have to
share equipment and would often hire local ranchers to work on the
roads during spring. Much has changed, although the roads in the
town of Mariposa are getting in very bad shape. Yet the county does
not have the resources to make the repairs and improvements.
The new General Plan calls for concentric development which means
that developments need to be next to each other to share as many
things as they can. Also, because Mariposa County delivers many
expensive services, new development needs to be near the source of
services. The lack of understanding of this concept must be
examined.

If Mariposa County is going to continue to pay a living wage to most
of it's employees, including the BOS; if Mariposa County is going to
meet the obligations for it's retirees for both retirement programs
and future health benefits; if Mariposa County is going to continue
to provide services of all levels to the citizens of this county then
we are going to have to pay attention to the Economic Development
Strategy conclusions. Growth in the areas of history, art and
culture will occur, but slowly, and will not provide the needed
resources demanded by a county government with over 400 employees,
many driving modern automobiles and sharing in modern benefits. In
1945 the Sheriff and Under-Sheriff provided their own automobiles.
Soon a private sector opportunity will present itself to help
strengthen the Tourism Industry without Mariposa County investing any
more than currently, and even invest less as time goes on. All we
ask for is a fair hearing of the ideas and proposals that will be
presented.


Leroy Radanovich

Leroy Radanovich Email:
Leroy Radanovich

To Read More By Leroy Radanovich:
Leroy Radanovich's Mariposa Life Archives

To learn much more about Mariposa County along with
historical photos:
A signed copy of "Images of America" - Mariposa County,
By Leroy Radanovich can be purchased at his web site:
Radanovich Galleria & Books





This is a early day photo of the Mariposa Mine in
Mariposa County that is mentioned in the article to
the left by Mr. Radanovich.

This photo and others can be purchased in various sizes.
All prints are archivally printed on fiber based paper, given a selenium wash which renders the photographs permanent with a warm tone ready for framing
Radanovich Galleria & Books










Mariposa in 1920

This photo and others can be purchased in various sizes.
All prints are archivally printed on fiber based paper, given a selenium wash which renders the photographs permanent with a warm tone ready for framing
Radanovich Galleria & Books











Mariposa County Courthouse written by Leroy Radanovich and
Scott Pinkerton is a book about the oldest courthouse in California that is still in use today.
The book is signed by Leroy Radanovich.
To purchase the book:
Radanovich Galleria & Books







Mariposa in 1860

This photo and others can be purchased in various sizes.
All prints are archivally printed on fiber based paper, given a selenium wash which renders the photographs permanent with a warm tone ready for framing
Radanovich Galleria & Books