Cameron Meadows buyer is the right choice

As owners of the property surrounding Rasmussen Pond for four decades, we want to share why we believe we have the right opportunity to bring essential new housing to El Dorado County while preserving the area’s unique natural beauty.

Back in the early1980s, our family joined with three other parties in a land investment, purchasing nearly 170 acres of land in Cameron Park about 3 miles from what is now the Highway 50 interchange at Cameron Park Drive. Over the decades two original investors left the group and two parcels of the original tract were sold — 40 acres on the western edge were sold through the American River Conservancy to the federal government and on the east side of the parcel another 22 acres were sold through the American River Conservancy to El Dorado County.

Today, 104 acres of the original property remains, owned by the Street and Weiner families, both of whom have deep roots in the community. That history — and our families’ love of El Dorado County and our neighbors — explains why we have chosen to sell this land to The True Life Companies. When it comes to property developers, The True Life Companies ranks among the best in the business. The communities it builds balance the need to construct homes to help solve California’s urgent housing crisis with the need to preserve what makes El Dorado County special — qualities like natural beauty, recreational opportunities, open space, public safety and a thriving economy. Our conversations with The True Life Companies representatives left us reassured that what they propose to build at Cameron Meadows will not negatively impact our community or our neighbors. In fact, we believe it will measurably improve the quality of life here in Cameron Park and the county.

… we were looking for the right buyer, the right outcome and the right caretaker for the future. We see The True Life Companies as the answer to all those needs.

Of course, we understand some of our neighbors stand opposed to any e ort to develop this land. We have done our best over the years to let families enjoy the natural beauty of the property we own, allowing residents to hike and birdwatch whenever they want near Rasmussen Pond. We, too, love the area so we understand why residents who don’t own the land feel a proprietary interest in protecting the pond and its trails. This, too, has played a role in our choosing The True Life Companies as the purchaser and developer: the company has committed to protect the pond and its surroundings with setbacks of at least 100 feet from any building. The True Life Companies also plans to keep nearly 60 of the 104 acres as open space and, most importantly, to grant neighbors access to the area around the pond in perpetuity.

As the owners of the property, we see this as the best possible outcome for a sale given how it respects both private property rights and the interests of those who live nearby. The 161 new homes proposed for Cameron Meadows will also benefit the community by creating construction jobs and tax revenue and adding to the resources necessary to fund schools and public safety. At a time when the cost of living continues to spike and our region continues to grow — the county is set to pass 200,000 residents by 2025, according to Census estimates — El Dorado County needs more homes for families who want to live here.

Over the past few years we have watched controversy swirl around our property. It’s a valuable asset, one that we have held onto not only because we want to protect our investment, but also because we were looking for the right buyer, the right outcome and the right caretaker for the future.

■ See WEINER, page A5

Walters Continued from A4 “structural deficit,” meaning it’s baked into the state’s finances regardless of underlying economic conditions. All of the competing versions of the state’s fiscal situation also assume California does not experience a recession in the near future.

Were a recession to strike, the deficits could grow by tens of billions of dollars because California’s revenue system is dangerously dependent on taxing the incomes of the state’s wealthiest residents, as Newsom’s budget acknowledges. “California’s progressive tax system, where nearly half of all personal income tax in the state is paid by the top 1% of earners, has contributed to extreme budget volatility over the years,” the May revision states. “Maintaining budget stability requires long-term planning in the face of these revenue fluctuations.”

In light of that statement and Petek’s rather gloomy long-term projections, will Newsom and the Legislature respond responsibly? Or will they take the easy way out, paper over the current deficit with creative bookkeeping and backdoor borrowing, and ignore the structural deficit until it becomes a crisis?

Newsom’s budget is essentially a short-term response, dipping into the usual bag of fiscal tricks to produce a budget that would be balanced on paper — assuming his deficit estimate of $31.5 billion is accurate.

Both Senate and the Assembly leaderships have adopted budget frameworks that purport to protect vital services but differ in approach. The Assembly’s version would reshuffle appropriations while the Senate’s would cover the gap by raising corporate income taxes, arguing that a tax hike would merely recapture money large corporations gained from the Trump-era federal tax overhaul.

Although Newsom immediately rejected a corporate tax increase, if the deficit is as wide and chronic as Petek projects, budget stakeholders will intensify their demands for tax increases of some kind.

In recent elections, California voters have rejected proposed increases in property taxes and personal income taxes on the wealthy. Newsom opposed the income tax increase, is now opposing the Senate’s proposed corporate tax and also has rejected periodic bills to impose a wealth tax.

“A wealth tax is not part of the conversation,” Newsom said of this year’s version. “Wealth taxes are going nowhere in California.”

This year’s budget dance will kick off a political tussle over spending and taxes that will likely continue for the remainder of Newsom’s governorship.

Dan Walters is a journalist and author who writes for CALmatters.org, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media venture explaining California policies and politics.

Weiner Continued from A4

We see The True Life Companies as the answer to all of those needs. We respectfully request that our neighbors understand our property rights as we would theirs.

Parting with land that has been in our families for generations is by no means an easy decision. But we believe it is the right decision for us and for the community.

David Weiner, a retired attorney, worked on many high-profile cases during his legal career. His family has called El Dorado County home for generations.

Letters Continued from A4

California mandate

EDITOR:

California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the trucking industry is to switch to 100% zero-emission trucks. I have questions and concerns such as how will we power these vehicles? Will California build nuclear reactors? What will the range of these vehicle be?

Currently these vehicles’ max range is 250 miles before needing a charge and my trucks average 500 miles a day. Where will we get the minerals to build these batteries? China, six-year-olds in the Congo sound like horrible options.

These draconian mandates by our Democratic Party leaders appear to be as ill-advised as their policies regarding our legal system. Both policies are equally bad.

KEN STEERS Cameron Park

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TAXPAYERS ASSOCIATION OF EL DORADO COUNTY

Our mission is to educate the public on tax issues that affect them. Our meetings are held every Monday morning from 7:30 to 8:30 at Denny’s Restaurant, Fair Lane Drive, Placerville. Meetings are open to the public except the first Monday of each month. For more information call Louis (530) 622-6763. We are a nonpartisan organization have an established government structure. We have a wealth of natural resources. Why couldn’t we be a state?”

The meeting in late May touched on a plethora of points, with Durst starting by explaining why she and many others felt splitting into a smaller state was so important.

“We want control of our government, of our schools and of our way of life. We’re pioneer stock around here and we have that indomitable spirit. We have a republican — not Republican Party, mind you, we aren’t aligned with any political party — form of government but we do not have proper representation,” Durst proclaimed. She explained that legislators in state government, let alone California’s representatives in the federal government, are called on to represent a portion of the population well beyond what the founding fathers had intended.

The plan, according to Durst, is simple; refer to the founding documents and use them as a basis for a split from California. Durst provided annotated copies of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution of the United States (Durst explained to the group that the name was inaccurate, and should be referred to as the Constitution for the United States), which she used as the basis for her rationale.

“Article IV Section 3 holds us hostage, almost,” Durst told the small audience. “But I read it and re-read it, thinking, ‘the men who wrote the Declaration of Independence wouldn’t have left us out to dry like that.’”

Durst builds her case on two core elements; one, that Article IV Section 4 guarantees “to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against Invasion”; and two, the language in the Declaration of Independence which refers to the “Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God” as opposed to the laws of man.

To the first point, Durst contends the portion of citizens represented in state government is not properly republican as it stifles representation, and that undocumented immigration across California’s southern border is tantamount to an invasion. The state constitution is a form of contract with California’s citizens and, as such, the failure of California’s government to uphold the bargain puts the government in breach of that contract, Durst explained.

To the second point, Durst explains the U.S. has not properly hewed to the laws of nature, claiming that it transitioned to corporate law when the government was surreptitiously converted into a corporation in 1871.

In the laws of nature, Durst believes, the resolution to a complaint is to go back to the beginning and undo something; Durst reckons as El Dorado County was extant prior to California’s statehood, the laws of nature would allow the county to “undo” its incorporation into the state. \Politifact, an American nonprofit fact-checking project operated by the Poynter Institute, has in the past disputed claims similar to Durst’s, finding the assumption the U.S. was changed into a corporation rests on a misinterpretation of the District of Columbia Organic Act of 1871.

Both “backdoors to statehood,” as Durst called them, focus on taking an approach not taken in the hundreds of other state-splitting attempts by going to Congress directly rather than working within California’s own legislative system. Further technical details — taxation, representation models, navigating what happens to state-owned lands and equipment such as police vehicles were all asked about by audience members but were not touched on in detail by Durst as the meeting was primarily to gauge support.

“We don’t want to sink too much time or money into this until we know if there’s support out there for the idea,” Durst said.

Durst was accompanied by a friend and neighbor who was brought in to speak to the potential viability of a theoretical El Dorado State — former El Dorado County supervisor Ray Nutting.

Nutting represented District 2 for eight years beginning in 1993 and another six years beginning in 2008 prior to his seat being vacated due to legal issues. In 2014 Nutting was found guilty on misdemeanor charges of accepting loans from county employees or contractors.

According to Nutting, El Dorado County’s natural resources, tourism industry, agriculture and history put it in a favorable position to assume statehood.

“Look at this county; we have visitors, historic economic engines like lumber and mining and agriculture like in Apple

Hill,” Nutting remarked. “It’s astounding how we have an abundance of resources, both human and natural.”

Echoing his prior platform when running for supervisor, Nutting shared that California had mismanaged the forests in the county, leading to the rash of wildfires in recent years. Nutting explained as its own state the region would have freedom to more proactively manage the forests and avoid another Caldor Fire-type event, while allowing the lumber industry to prosper again in the area.

Common themes were present in both Nutting’s and Durst’s speeches, reflecting dissatisfaction with California’s “tyrannical” approach to government. Durst made an example of how her contract for event insurance for the meeting was a sizable stack of paper, when times in her career decades earlier she could make contracts with Wells Fargo officials on a single sheet of paper; she said that the ballooning of contract size both mirrors and is caused by California’s legislature passing hundreds of bills a year.

Nutting concurred with Durst’s point, chiming in, “There are so many laws on the books you basically are breaking the law just going out the door in the morning.” by 5 miles per hour of what 85% of the public is driving.

There are plans to convene again, with the hope that word of mouth will eventually lead to the establishment of regional meetings in the county’s districts with the ultimate goal of a petition signing to establish intent to separate from the state. The granular details of state operations would be worked through as the movement developed, Durst assured the group.

More information about the El Dorado State effort can be found at eldoradostate. substack.com.

“It qualifies for a 40-mile-an-hour zone but we reduce that by five to 35,” Mullens said, noting the area did not qualify as a business district in 2009.

“We will be reviewing that again to see if we can qualify that area as a business district, which would be the only way we could set the speed limit to 25 mph,” Mullens added.

Greg Farron, who has lived in Pollock Pines for 10 years and is a former nurse’s aid for Marshall Hospital, said he would often see patients admitted after car crashes on Pony Express Trail.

“I would ask them if it would happen to be Sly Park Road or Pony Express and they would ask ‘How do you know?’” Farron commented. “During the daytime these cars and motorcyclists are going 75 mph, flying down the street.”

He also worked at 50 Grand Restaurant for a spell, which sits along Pony Express in front of where the children were hit. He described walking that crosswalk as “taking life in your hands.”

“This has been very upsetting for all of us and what we are hoping is that something good can come out of this,” Farron added.

He asked about implementing a special speed complaint zone, where ticket fines could be doubled. Hatfield noted courts set such fines.

Jim McCarthy, who owns 50 Grand and helped treat one of the injured children, said reckless driving is an issue in the area.

“It is not everyone but it is enough to make you irritated, especially after an incident like this,” McCarthy said. “Speeding or not paying attention does have effects on everybody. Sometimes it doesn’t happen but when it does it’s tragic.”

McCarthy closed the restaurant for two days to help his staff and himself process the incident. He noted he is putting together a trauma bag in case of another crash. McCarthy said he is also working to have volunteer psychiatrists and counselors come to his restaurant next week to help the community heal from emotional trauma.

“If people want to send me an email or give a call to the restaurant, I’d be happy to get in touch with them about this service,” he shared. His email is jim.mccarthy@grandfamilyinc.com.

CHP did not give updates on the recovery of the children, but new information has been shared on the children’s GoFundMe websites, set up by family members and friends.

Jacory suffered a broken femur and fractured skull. He has since had surgery to mend his leg and his family reports scrapes to his face are healing quickly and he is “getting more comfortable with the cast every day.”

Jacory was able to return home.

Axel also had a fractured skull as well as surgery for a broken femur, in addition to a bruised liver. Axel is in a wheelchair recovering from his injuries but remains in the hospital while he heals. “We see glimpses of Axel’s silly self coming through in between the pain and we are focusing on the little victories,” reads the most recent update on his GoFundMe.

Juniper suffered “significant head trauma” and was placed on a ventilator. Her intracranial pressure remained low Monday night, Juniper’s aunt Alison Warren reports in an update on the Caring Bridge page created, “Pray for Juniper,” which can be found at caringbridge.org/ visit/prayforjuniper. “We are keeping positive thoughts today that Juniper will continue to make positive progress,” states Warren.

Dillon sustained a fractured leg along with scrapes and bruises, and is expected to fully recover physically. He is going to have another x-ray to check on the status of his leg. Dillon is also receiving psychotherapy to help him through his emotional trauma.

Little is known to the Mountain Democrat about the fifth child’s injuries as of press time but social media posts suggest she is expected to make full recovery.

Carrie Molaug, one of the teachers at the Pine Top Montessori School preschool the children were attending, told reporters after the meeting the incident was the hardest thing she has had to go through in her life.

“The kids that we see everyday are like family and to see something like this happen to not just one child but multiple children and all the other children have to see it has been heartbreaking,” Molaug said. “As long as they all make it out of the hospital, it is going to be a lot better but it is not going to be OK.”

Molaug said while road and traffic improvements recommended by the community were appreciated, she is unsure how it will help.

“Because they say there was no speeding or that there was no drinking involved, I don’t know that flashing lights are going to make a person who couldn’t see a dog and 21 people open their eyes and pay attention.”