I will address the absence of my columns for a period of time at a later date.  The poisonous cancel culture was only temporarily successful in removing truth from the public view.  So let’s get back to one of the issues at hand: the water rate advisory committee.

I have attended all three of their meetings and found them to be the expected “dog and phony (not pony) show” which led me to refuse being a member of this charade.  However, I do find that the majority of the members of this committee are actually listening.  Their actions, such as directing staff to be much more extensive in their research, will prove whether or not this committee is to be nothing more than a waste of time and a joke.

Their latest meeting had some disturbing aspects.  Much as to be expected, this committee has its shills who simply want to return to the incompetent and corrupt ways of the past.  The status quo bad old boys club of Dixon was none too happy when Dane Besneatte, Thom Bogue, and I as elected councilmen dissolved the JPA between the city of Dixon and Solano Irrigation District after reviewing the financials and getting disturbing facts from those within SID.  Yes, there were individuals within SID who were persecuted and intimidated during this whole process.  Now we have Herb Cross on behalf of Steve Bird and the likes of Jack Batchelor working to bring this problematic agency back to run our water system.

It is irritating to hear the constant chant that “rates must go up” for this system to operate in a financially sound manner before any presentation on the past finances occur.  It is frustrating when city attorney Doug White continues to ignore the request for financial or historical data going back 25 years or longer which proves the genesis of the problems we now face.  Even if I will accede to the point that operating costs have increased, where did the money go from the 110% rate increase of 2014?  Why has the finance department refused provide documentation when requested?  WHAT ARE THEY HIDING?

I am sorry but I don’t buy that simply because you are putting in a new software system for finances, all of your financial records are not available.  Ever heard of backups?  In the software development industry one of the key premises is you don’t eliminate the prior system until you verify the new system is up and running.  What kind of zoo are they running down at city hall?

As far as the historical study of rates, how is it that I have all of the paper documents back to the early 2000’s and before but the city didn’t think it was smart to retain their copies?  Or is it just that they are too lazy to go and look for the materials wherever they are stored?  Yet we are supposed to believe whatever they choose to feed us in order for them to justify a rate increase?

This column is specifically about the May 2023 meeting of this committee.  Why is it that co-chair Kevin Johnson got the item on the agenda to talk about finances when no one else was given the information he “couldn’t wrap his head around”?  Why is it that those appointed to the committee are now somehow better than the rest of the citizens of Dixon who are all to be considered potential terrorists and a threat to our water conveyance system?

This is the typical modus operandi of those who have been leading Dixon down the primrose path for years.  Hide all the information we can, let out only the information leading us in one direction, and then expect different results at the ballot box when we decide we aren’t buying the bull.

While I can appreciate Mike Jones animosity for whoever on the council made the statement that any citizen not liking any new rate proposed could leave, exactly how much effort would it take to find the meeting where the council was forming this committee and where the statement was made?  Bogue denied saying this.  Bird denies it also.  My recollection was it was the Dodo.

Guess I will have to prove it just for my own satisfaction.