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Winters Express
312 Railroad Avenue, Winters, CA 95694
(530) 795-4551
news@wintersexpress.com
Web site by
shawnpatrickcollins
@yahoo.com

OTHER PEOPLE’S MONEY. I was listing to a Rotarian talk about fundraising and he used the acronym of “OPM”— Other People’s Money. He explained that it was better to use OPM for our community service projects than to continue to reach into our own pockets. Almost everyone in the room was nodding in agreement.
As I was working at the Rotary beer booth at the Yolo County Fair, several of us were talking about OPM as we poured $4 and $5 glasses of beer and wine. There were 10 Rotary Clubs working at this year’s beer booth, which was reported to have done better than last year, and last year was a good year. Maybe that is a good sign for the economy and our Earthquake Festival.
When we talk about developing our freeway interchange we should be talking about OPM. When someone stops and buys gas, burgers, salads, sodas or stays at our future hotel, the City of Winters will be working on OPM.
Winters is a special place and the citizens have voted, over and over again, to raise our taxes to support both the city and the school district. There is a limit to what people are willing to pay with the last election too close to call until the final vote was counted. Those living within the city limits pay $125 annual parcel tax for parks and lights, $94 a month for sewer and water service, $120 per year municipal services tax and 9.5 percent on our utilities. Going through the planning commission or city council isn’t cheap either. At some point people just aren’t going to pay anymore. We need OPM to keep the services we have come to expect and for businesses that we would like to see in Winters.
It’s like the argument over the Mosque in New York City or whether 30 percent of Republicans think President Obama is a Muslim. Who cares? I would rather see discussions about jobs and the economy. For the record, Obama is a Christian and there are already 100 mosques in New York City, so who cares?
People talk about how great Winters was or is. They mention all of the businesses that we used to have and wonder if we will ever be able to buy shoes in Winters again? I would hope that someday we will have another department store, another A & W out on the freeway and a new car dealer. Well maybe not a new car dealer.
Winters is in financial trouble and our council, city staff and the citizens of Winters are working on surviving the “Great Recession.” Part of added revenue to our treasury is to grow. We okayed hundreds of homes that won’t be built for years to come. What is in demand is for growth on our freeway interchange. We have an opportunity to add several fast food restaurants, a hotel, fueling stations and maybe even another nice restaurant. Will it affect our downtown? I don’t think as much as some people want to believe.
Cars exiting the freeway may add to our downtown, especially those staying overnight. I hate to say it, but I agreed with Debra’s column last week about what makes a town special. If you see a Burger King and think that represents Winters, you don’t know Winters very well. Seeing the metal Chevron at our entrance doesn’t make me think that is what makes Winters, Winters. Neither does seeing the razor wire, lack of landscaping or broken down buildings.
There is something special happening in Winters, and it has been happening for a long, long time. The national bickering has finally reached Winters and it isn’t pretty. I have found myself ranting about Burger King and I’ve about had it. Who cares? If you think having development on the freeway is going to change the way you think about Winters, I can’t help that. If you think it will change Winters forever, I can’t help that either.
The small group of people opposing growth may delay and cause some expense to both the city and developer, but our interchange will be developed. We should be working on making sure that we have attractive buildings, good landscaping, traffic flow and businesses that will serve both the traveling public and the citizens of Winters. If you don’t like the businesses that will locate on the freeway, don’t frequent them, don’t ask them for donations for your pet projects and don’t let your children or grand children work for them. The rest of us will be glad when they pay their taxes, hire our children and grandchildren and support our schools, library and sports teams.
JUST A QUICK NOTE. I was worried about the eggs in my refrigerator after the salmonella scare last week. I looked at the carton and it said IGA California eggs. I talked to David Lorenzo and he told me that they only buy locally, specifically eggs from Petaluma. “We buy as much locally as we can, including all of our produce and milk,” he said. Another reason to shop locally.
Have a good week.