Amador County – Amador County Supervisors on Tuesday passed a preliminary budget with notes on the economic climate of the county, the state and the world.

Mark Bennett of Pine Grove thanked supervisors for keeping its reserves, and coming up with a reasonable budget. He said looking at bankruptcies and bleak economy, the economic problems are structural. He said gold mining permitting that took 8 years in Amador County could have been finished in 1-and-a-1/2 years in Canada.

Supervisor Brian Oneto said “we have regulated our economy to death. Everybody wants to live in Utopia but if you can’t survive in it, what good is it?” He said he did not take pleasure in laying off people, but “we’re here to keep the county in good financial health,” and though reduced, the county will sill get the services they are mandated to provide.

Supervisor Chairman Louis Boitano said “things in Sacramento are broke, and they don’t seem to be making anything better.” He said “the world economy is teetering on the edge.”

Supervisor Ted Novelli said this board knows it is detrimental to the county to lay anybody off. And regarding shoving things down the county’s throat, this governor keeps shoving the Bullet Train down our throat.”

Novelli said he closes three Amtrak stations and is spending $30 billion dollars, but it will not even cover people in regards to going from Point A to Point B. Novelli said Amtrak could go 100 mph if they fixed the bridges and tracks. And will the Amtrak employees be laid off? You better believe they will.”

Supervisor John Plasse said he has seen local level organizations oppose the entire timber harvesting industry, oppose any timber or mining of any kind, whether it is gold or aggregate, and yet the same people stand on the corner with an “Occupy” sign and “say the system is broken.” Plasse said they oppose the things that generate sales tax, property tax appreciation and they oppose all of the things that create income. He said tax revenue does not come from the government it comes from the private sector.

Doug Ketron of Amador Economic Development Corporation spoke on related matters later in the meeting. He said California ranks 50th of the 50 states in desirability to do business in. He said Ione has 100 different kinds of refractory glass. Amador County has lignite for wax, and aggregate, and yet it is cheaper to mine material in Canada and ship it to San Francisco than it is to open a mine in Amador County.

Story by Jim Reece This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.