Editor:
OK, so there’s a committee that is drafting new laws for us, stricter fire abatement rules and charges. The Mountain Communities Fire Safe Council and its president has gone out of their way recently in the paper to say it’s not us, it’s them. It’s that new committee that’s pushing this, don’t blame us.
I can understand. These guys need donations and community support, not backlash against tougher rules and fees on everybody.
First of all, I thought we lived in a democracy. Elected representatives draft laws, new taxes and fees, not non-elected committees.
Referendums for specific issues like this one can be helpful, also, not committees writing new laws ruling over us. How undemocratic this fire abatement process begins to sound.
Then, as I read the news and public statements, more questions arise. Who appointed this ruling committee over us? These people writing our laws were never elected. Who appointed them to make changes to existing law? And why the mystery surrounding them?
The president of the MCSFC says its not us but a totally separate committee. But 25 percent of the committee, one fourth of all the members of the committee, are involved with MCFSC.
As far as I know (as I said, mystery surrounds the committee), the only local organization represented on the committee is (guess what), the MCFSC. Note, this may be changing quickly as the people at MCFSC are starting to feel the heat.
Don’t let them confuse you with names. Sue Nash, is described in the Town Crier as being “of the Mountain Communities Fire Safe Council, drafted the proposed ordinances.” (See very informative article, Oct. 24).
The board members of the MCFSC are making misleading statements publicly about something so simple as to who is the committee and their close alignment with it.
We should, therefore, scrutinize their efforts to tamper with existing laws. They are already making misleading statements about the nature of the new law, also. Compare their president’s statements in a recent Town Crier letter with descriptions made publicly by officials in the Oct. 23 issue.
John Keil
Idyllwild
Editor’s note: Idyllwild Fire Department also is a local organization represented on the committee.
