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San Benito County voters on Nov. 5 were presented with local measures that will have lasting impacts in the community in land use, education, and healthcare.
With some measures still too close to call, the controversial Measure A appears to be on its way to approval by voters.
Measure A
“There are still thousands more votes to count but so far we are feeling cautiously optimistic,” said Green Foothills environmental associate Jessica Wohlander on Nov. 7. Green Foothills, which endorsed the measure, is a nonprofit that advocates for open space, farmland and natural resources.
Wohlander told BenitoLink Measure A provides an “extra level of protection” for natural resources and beauty in San Benito County.
The initiative, proposed by local activists, requires voter approval to change rural, rangeland, and agricultural designations to other uses, Measure A also removes the commercial land use designation from four areas along Hwy 101 known as nodes.
As of the last result updates, Measure A is passing with 54.7% of the votes.
Bob Tiffany with Neighbors to Preserve San Benito, an organization that was created in opposition to Measure A, said he was disappointed with the results.
“It’s clear that the people who voted for Measure A wrongly believe that it’s going to solve the housing and traffic issues in our community,” he said. “It’s simply not going to happen, but as they say ‘the voters have spoken.’”
The four nodes identified in the county’s 2035 General Plan for commercial development are Betabel Road, Hwy 126/Searle Rd, Livestock 101 and Rocks Ranch near San Juan Road. Under Measure A they would be redesignated as agriculture, rural or rangeland.
Wohlander said the community “has been living with the consequences of irresponsible growth in San Benito County. The fact that Measure A is getting these many votes is a sign that people are ready to do things differently.”
Tiffany, a California Transportation Commissioner and former San Benito County Supervisor, conveyed his group’s stance that Measure A will hurt the county’s prospects for economic development.
“The ‘Yes’ proponents think we can go in a different direction and still have a vibrant economy and more revenue for the county,” he said. “I hope they’re right.”
The future of Hazel Hawkins
Measure X, which would give the San Benito Health Care District the authority to approve a lease-purchase option agreement with Insight Health or another organization of its choosing, was ahead by 558 votes at press time.
The district declined to comment regarding the status of the measure.
BenitoLink attended the Oct. 24 health care district meeting where Director Bill Johnson said while the definitive agreement was still under negotiation, its terms would be discussed with the public before the board makes a decision.
“No decisions will be made without thinking about the best interest of the community,” he said.
If the deal with Insight does not go through, Measure X, if it passes, will give the health care district the authority to negotiate and approve an agreement with any interested party for an undetermined time.
Health care district counsel Heidi Quinn said while Measure X doesn’t have an expiration date, “the further that you get away from the transaction that is contemplated by this board, I think that would open the district to challenge.”
The San Benito Health Care District needs a simple majority of 50% voter support to pursue selling half or more of its assets.
School bonds
Voters are responding differently to the bond measures sought by the San Benito High School District and Aromas-San Juan Unified School District. School district bonds require 55% voter approval to pass.
The San Benito High School District’s two bonds to help fund a new high school campus are trailing at press time with 48.9% and 50% approval.
District Superintendent Shawn Tennenbaum said Election Day results are often not the final results and that the vote-counting system needed to continue. He added the bonds were a result of input and feedback the district received from the community on planning a new campus.
Asked if he was hopeful at least one of the two measures would pass, he said the district has been engaging with the community for multiple years as part of its plan to support students.
“Our singular objective is to meet their academic, social and emotional needs now and into the future,” he said. “We recognized the challenge and put forward a solution.”
The Aromas-San Juan district, which includes parts of San Benito, Monterey and Santa Cruz counties, is receiving 59.3% of voter support for its $44 million bond to modernize facilities and upgrade emergency communication systems at its three campuses.
Aromas-San Juan Superintendent Barbara Dill-Varga said she was cautiously optimistic about the bond passing and that it would allow the district to pursue state funds through California’s Proposition 2, a general education bond that provides money to school districts for facility upgrades.
“Both measures passing will bring excellent opportunities for improvements to all three of our school sites,” she said.
Dill-Varga said as of 2023, the district expected to be eligible for up to $4.2 million in state matching funds to modernize facilities.
As of Nov. 8, Proposition 2 was passing with 57.8% approval. In San Benito County, it garnered 51.5%% approval. Statewide bond measures require a simple majority to pass.
“Additionally, the district may be eligible for facility funding from the state, which requires a match from the district,” Dill-Varga said.
Regarding Proposition 2’s impact on the high school district, Tennenbaum said without approval of Measures L and M, the district would not be eligible to pursue Proposition 2 funds. He said the district estimated it could access $46 million in state matching funds.
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